Tale Of A Runaway Bride
by Lady Grimshaw
Summary: Renesmee's a good girl, listens to her parents does what shes told lives the life they tell her to. shes unhappy, Alice confronts her on her wedding day & giver her two choices. Renesmee finds herself running to Italy, there she fins who she really is
1. Fairytales begin with Pain & Misery

**Original Chapter, the first one had been cut a bit, as well as a few people and situations had been switched, so here you'll see what really happened.**

**Only showing this because Mademoiselle Choas asked me too, and since she's a very good friend, and has always given me good advice I thought what the hell.**

**There is actually a poll, take it to help me see which version will stay and which will be booted off.  
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Chapter One**_

_Runaway Bride

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Every girls dream wedding is what they called it. A beautiful three tier white cake sprinkled with soft pink petals that were edible, as well as giving the cake an innocence and purity of its own, pink and white rose's everywhere you turned in bouquets and scattered petals, warm sun rays, sand beneath your feet. A gorgeous groom, who would die for his precious and beloved bride to be; it was as they had repetitively called it _'Every girls dream wedding'_. As true as that might have been, it was every girls dream wedding minus Renesmee's

As she stared at her dolled up self in the vanity mirror, her short bronze colored curly hair had been straightened and was put back in a French twist, and her side bangs swept across her forehead. Her makeup simple, lips pink from lip gloss, and light blush. She was no longer a rapidly growing little child any more, no now she was as her family called her a young woman, funny thing was, was that she didn't feel like a young woman, she still felt like a child. Eighteen years ago to this day, she'd been imprinted on by Jacob Black, alpha leader to the Black shifting wolves pack of La Push, and old and dear friend to her mother and ex-rival to her father. While she looked like the poster child of the perfect sweet, innocent bride to be, on the inside she was nothing like what she looked like. After staring at herself she found that the person in the reflection was not who she was, that was someone else. She cried as she hit the mirror, breaking it, she watched as it shattered into little shards of glass. Looking down at the pieces of mirror she picked one up to look at herself, loathing what she saw. It was not her, none of it was her, that man out there was not for her, the wedding was not for her, it was all for her reflection, the person they wanted her to be, she may not be able to tell anyone who she really was, not knowing herself being as she was never allowed to be herself, but, she knew the difference between herself and the person in her reflection.

Taking a deep shaky breath as she stood up smoothing out her dress; as per usual she hadn't been allowed to choose her clothes, though thankfully, Alice had been thoughtful enough to pick something not so childish. Her dress was simple. White with cap sleeves, a sweetheart neckline, empire waist, knee length, and a pink sash, tied into a big bow at the middle of her back- courteous of her mother, her shoes were simple white sandals too finish it off, they never allowed her to wear high heels.

Bobby had wanted the wedding in the sunlight, meaning the only guest were the Cullen Coven & the Packs, Bobby being the chosen one to marry them. The Cullen's paid for everything, and the pack wanted it where they wanted the wedding to be, and choose who was to marry her and Jacob. The wedding ceremony was to be finished with a kiss right when the sun set, and the darkness came upon all of them.

Another deep intake of breath as she willed her feelings to change for the gorgeous shifter waiting for her outside, but alas nothing happened, nothing changed. Jacob was still Jacob; she was still Renesmee; the one who was still not feeling any romantic feelings for the one that did feel them for her.

"Nessie?" A twinkling voice asked. Renesmee blinked and turned, finding Alice and Rosalie staring at her with identical worried expressions, quickly she placed her mask back on and wiped at her eyes as she spoke only to be cut off quickly by her pixie like aunt.

"I'm sorry I didn't hear you come-"

"-You can't do it can you?" Alice asked as moved closer to her

Those simple words shattered all thoughts, and breaking through the façade she'd worn since she was fifteen years old. "Excuse me?" She feigned nonfathombalness

"We heard the crash … are you okay?" Rosalie asked as she moved closer to look her over, obviously she didn't catch what Alice said.

"Nessie." Alice called again, not giving up on her and trying to get the words to come from her mouth.

"You don't have to do this; you don't have to go through with this." She continued, those words caught Rosalie's attention, and immediately the blonde was speaking up, oblivious to what was really being said.

"She's just getting cold feet, everyone's felt it before ….. Well except Bella, she was getting cold feet when it came to the idea of being engaged."

Renesmee spoke finally, her perfect mask cracking slowly. "Please just shut up."

Rosalie looked up shocked at what Renesmee had just said. "Excuse me?!", "What did you just say young lady?" Rosalie demanded from the young bride to be. Alice pulled Rosalie away from Renesmee while Renesmee turned away from her aunts and looked back at the shattered mirror that belong to the vanity.

Renesmee turned away from her small statured aunt, who just happened to be taller than herself, by a few inches. She stood up, and turned as she spoke.

"Renesmee sweetheart talk to me." Alice said as she placed a hand onto Renesmees' shoulder.

"He doesn't love me, not really, it's the imprint that makes him feel what he feels for me, it's only magic, it's only an illusion, an illusion to pull me in so he could sire a strong child."

"Renesmee, Jacob loves you, you know this." Rosalie said softly, trying her best to convince Renesmee that it was just a silly little phase.

Turning around she grabbed Alice's hand tightly as she spoke the words that she never wanted to speak aloud, that she'd never spoke aloud before now. "You've seen it Alice, Jasper's felt it, I know it in my heart that you've both encountered it, the way he looks at my mother still, the way he looks into my eyes-his favorite part of me, out of everything he chose my eyes to love the most-MY GODDAMN EYES! The eyes that _she _gave me, _her _goddamn eyes!" Renesmee crocked out as she fell to the floor gracefully she grabbed at her head as she took a deep breath in holding while she placed a sad smile on her face. Watching as her life, and the mask she created began to crumble apart before her very eyes.

Alice bent down to her level. "I know sweetie, I know you feel you don't know who he truly loves."

Rosalie looked between the two as she spoke. "Alice! Don't she's got cold feet is all, stop trying to get her mind wondering, she's been with Jacob for four years already! They love each other, just because you still don't approve doesn't mean you should manipulate her feelings when she's in such a vulnerable state!"

"Rosalie shut up, she's not being manipulated in any way, she's finally seeing the truth of everything." Alice argued back.

"She's always known the truth Alice, she's not an idiot, she knows how much Jacob loves her." Rosalie replied haughtily.

Renesmee finally cracked as she let go of her breath and cut the bickering women off from anymore talking. "I feel like I've been dead this whole time and now that I'm finally showing a piece of the real person I am … you completely make me feel as if it's wrong!" She cried out through her anger.

"Oh sweetheart." Alice said as she pulled the girl in for a hug, holding her as tightly as she was allowed to.

"Renesmee you aren't dead, you are alive, and you are in love with a good shifter, and you are going out there to marry him today and live happily and have children with him." Rosalie tried.

"Shut up!" "That's not what I want! I don't love him the way he claims to love me, I don't want to marry him!" Renesmee said as she pulled out of Alice's embrace and stood up. The crack in her mask was growing faster as she spoke her true thoughts.

"This person you've been dressing in these clothes, this person that has been playing with her hair the way you want her to, this person in this damn dress is not the person I want to be! I don't even know who I really am, but this person finally saying what I want too is the real me!" Renesmee cried at her aunt angrily.

"Renesmee this is what you've always wanted." Rosalie said calmly as she tried to keep her anger in check.

Renesmee pinched the bridge of her nose as she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she gathered her flying thoughts.

"You know what I'm done, that's it, I've had enough with this life." Renesmee said as she turned away from Rosalie.

"You're done with this life." Rosalie repeated.

Furiously Renesmee turned to Rosalie again as she spoke. " I have lived my entire life in shackles, doing and thinking everything you all want! I'm eighteen years old and finally I have a right to say whatever I want, and do whatever I want & I'm going to take my life and do with it as I please, because it's _my _life!

"Nessie." Rosalie tried to plead.

"I've done _everything _you, they-everyone has told me to, every decision, every thought, every move, every single word is what you want and I'm done with it!"

"Nessie please!" Rosalie tried again, but Renesmee turned those brown eyes on her with such a lifelessness to them that it nearly broke her.

"_Please Aunt …_You have no idea what it's like! You don't know what it feels like always questioning yourself, always questioning if the life you live is what you really want, you don't know what it feels like when people keep important facts from you because they think your too young or that you can't handle it. Hell you don't want to know what it feels like to be going through a breakdown!" Renesmee said with a pleading voice that could break any vampire.

Though Rosalie wasn't like many others, and was immune to the look and the tone choice.

"Renesmee your being silly, this is just some phase." She tried once more.

"Shut up and move because I'm leaving and if you try to stop me I will never forgive you, and I will never speak to you again, I don't want to be here, so I won't be here anymore." Renesmee said.

"Renesmee do you even know what your saying?!" Rosalie asked.

"Of course, I'm leaving this god forsaken life, and this miserable town!"

"And go where?!" Rosalie asked just as angrily

"Somewhere, anywhere, anyplace but here!"

"Why are you so stubborn!" Rosalie asked as she grabbed at her frustrated.

A thought forming in Alice's head as she watched the two fight it out, Rosalie had always considered Renesmee as her own child, thus the reason they acted like mother and daughter, it was a good thing that it was Rosalie and not Bella she was talking this way too. By now Bella would be in tears because Renesmee doesn't want the life she had set out for her, "Rose, let her be, she needs to find herself, just like all of us have." She began as she stood up from the floor and spun Renesmee to face her. "Nessie listen to me, are you listening?" Alice as asked she grabbed Renesmee's chin to make sure she had her attention before she spoke again.

"Bella & Edward won't be here for another twenty minutes, now I'm give you two choices that'll change the course of your life forever … Now you can stay here and get married to a man you don't love or you can take this small opportunity to leave now, yes your parents will be mad, but if you give them some time to simmer down, we can talk to them for you to get them to understand, but that means you have to get far away from this place …… So what are you going to do?" Alice asked as she cupped Renesmee's face in her hands.

Renesmee's mud brown eyes widened in surprise as she replied in a hushed whisper. "Why are you helping me? You are moms' best friend!"

Alice smiled softly at her. "We are but I can't watch this anymore, & I'll be damned if I let my only niece not get her happy ending like the rest of us Cullen's have, so I'm finally stepping in."

"Alice stop it!" Rosalie said. "Shut up Rose." Alice said quickly, it was a good thing they were speaking fast, or else the pack would've already intervened, and Renesmee would have to deal with a broken hearted Jacob, and an angry and bitter aunt Leah.

Yes Sue and Charlie married not long after Edward and Bella had Renesmee, to be exact two years after, making Seth & Leah siblings to Bella, and aunt and uncle to Renesmee. It wasn't her only uncle seeing as Renee and Paul had a child about three years later, a year after Sue had Asher Swan right after the wedding too … so far it was unknown if he carried the shifter gene yet. And so Renesmee had four uncles, and three aunts, one who was more fond of her nieces imprinter than her own niece, but then again, Leah had always put her own kind before the _'cold ones' _or _'leeches'_.

"But then you'll get in trouble, dad will go after you." Renesmee said. Alice waved her off. "So what do you say?" She asked.

"Alice don't she just a child, she doesn't know how cruel the world is, and she doesn't need to find out if she doesn't have to." Rosalie pleaded.

"Stop it, I'm not a child anymore, if the world is as cruel as you say then let me find out for myself." Renesmee said.

"Eighteen minutes." Alice said

Renesmee turned back to Alice as she replied "Tell me what I have to do?" She said as she calmed herself down.

"You will leave when given the signal using the back of the tent out, I will have Jaz tweak a few people, get a distraction started and you will get as far away from us as fast as possible." Alice said as she walked over to the opening of the tent they were in and peeked out.

"Don't tell us where your going or leave any clues either, your dad will find you and drag you right back here if you do … but if I may make a suggestion." Alice replied as she locked eyes with Jasper ushering him over to the tent with a delicate finger.

"Anything."

"Make sure it's nowhere we'd think too look, as well as Leah will be on you faster than any of us after this, so make sure you find a way to make her loose your scent." Alice said before she directed her attention to her husband whispering words into his ear.

Jasper smiled softly at her before he left the tent, and Alice spun around directing her attention back to Renesmee.

"Take your passports, all of them, and one outfit only, if you want to leave quickly you'll shop when you get to your destination, and send at least an email to let us know you're alive and well." Alice said as she pulled Renesmee into one last loving embrace.

"Don't forget the skies the limit." Alice whispered in her ear, before she pulled away from her at the same time there was a loud crash that sounded like a body shattering glass. Renesmee smiled softly at her aunt before looking to Rosalie who jumped after her before being caught by Alice, Renesmee took off in a fast run, using her vampire speed to get to the house quicker.

When she got to the house she ran up the stairs and threw open her bedroom door, grabbing her backpack and opening her closet. Walking in she went through her dresser and pulled out the drawer and poured its contents into her bag before she opened another and poured the contents it held as well, she quickly ran to her racks and scanned through them before pulling at an outfit and stuffing it in her bag, and turned to another dresser and opened it pulling out a bra and stuffing it in her bag as well, then opening a drawer next to it and pulling out a pair of panties throwing them in her bag.

She flew around her closet as she searched for her laptop, until she heard something fall onto the floor, spinning around she found an unfamiliar box upside down on the floor. It looked older than everyone in the family, but had an old elegance to it, picking it up she looked on the floor to see a thick gold chained necklace with a diamond the size of a golf ball on the floor that shined brightly in the small closet. Her fingers touched the smooth stone and memories of a great and strict ruler rushed upon her, deep red eyes, jet black hair- her mother handing the necklace over to a month old her after the confrontation with him, with his guards and witnesses watching their every action. Snapping back to reality she placed the necklace back into the box, looking up at the highest shelf in her closet, a destination coming to her mind as she looked down at the box, and back up to the shelf, she smirked as she walked over to her bag and slipped it in, remembering the time her parents didn't allow her to go on a class trip to Italy. Picking up her bag she smiled as she lifted her laptop, turning it over, gently she popped open the back and pulled out the tracker. She smiled happily as she skipped out of her room and flew down the stairs and into the kitchen, opening the shelves under the sink she opened the small refrigerator, that actually kept donation bags warm and pulled out a few donation bags, putting them in her bag as well and placing the chip on the kitchen counter.

Sliding her bag on her shoulders she ran out of house & into the dense forest, running swiftly through Forks and stopping when she was in front of the busy building that was the Port of Seattle Sea-Tac International Airport. She walked quickly through the humans, and cleared her throat when she reached the counter, capturing the elderly woman's attention.

"Why hello dear." She said as she eyed her over.

Renesmee straightened up and pulled out a wad of cash and her I.D., placing it on the counter as she spoke. "One ticket for Rome Italy, please."

The woman checked over her I.D. before she placed it back on the counter and spoke."One way or all around?"

"One way." Renesmee answered quickly.

"You get cold feet there girly?" The woman inquired as she typed away at her computer.

Looking down, Renesmee realized she never changed out of her wedding dress and looked back up at the woman trying to think up a an excuse, though her thoughts were cut short as the woman spoke again. "I don't usually see runaway brides going to Rome being as it's one of the honeymoon spots and all."

Renesmee sighed as she finally thought of a good excuse. "Actually I'm heading to Volterra to be with my grandfather …. My uncle called me earlier telling me that the old man is _close_ so I walked out of my birthday party and all that." Renesmee said as she empathized the word 'close' in a grief tone.

The woman smiled at her warmly at the thought of her dropping everything for her _grandfather_. "Here you go dear, have a nice trip." She said as she handed her the ticket.

Renesmee smiled as she walked away, it wasn't long till the plane took off, and actually she'd just made it right before they shut the gate, it was funny how that happened when she wasn't expecting luck t be on her side. She sighed as she looked around the people; this is what she wanted, leaving behind the fairytale that she'd been preparing for her whole life. It was okay though, she was ready to bury her families plans, her mothers _other_ dreams, bury her fairy tale and pour tones of concrete and lay brick over it so it could never try to raise up to her again.

As the plane steadies in the air she smiled staring out her window, she was finally breaking free from her family, she was finally making her own decisions, taking chances on her own. She sighed, she was mentally and emotionally exhausted and she didn't want to think anymore; knowing she wouldn't get any sleep when she reached Italy. She sat in her chair and shut her eyes, falling into a deep sleep until she got to her destination, taking advantage of it while she could.

* * *

_Back in Forks_

It wasn't long till Edward realized something was wrong when he and Bella arrived at the beach. It wasn't the angry voices that were floating through his mind that bugged him; no it was the one voice that didn't pass through him that bugged Edward.

Looking around the people he still didn't find the birthday girl in the sea of familiar faces. She was nowhere to be found, turning around and walking towards the brides' tent stopping as he watched a heartbroken and pain filled Bella walk out. She spoke through dried sobs, obviously trying to hold back a scream as best she could.

"She's not here."

It was then that he heard the squeak of an all too familiar mind, his liquid topaz eyes locked onto those of the small vampire, said brunette broke eye contact quickly before she ran to hide behind her husband. Immediately he could feel Jasper's powers taking control of his curiosity and trying to replace with a different emotion. It was exactly what he needed to confirm his growing suspicions, so when Jasper began to feel him fight it, he turned his head away from Edward and too his tiny wife, a message passing between them …. Then she was gone, and Edward was right behind her, gaining on her.

It was simple to put the puzzle pieces together, a missing daughter, and a scared & speedy sister. Alice knew what happened to Renesmee, it was unmistakable, and she was also almost certainly the mastermind who came up with the plan.

He caught her by her dress train and slammed her against the tree trunk, only to be pulled away by muscular arms that held him in place. "Edward calm down before I have Jasper here make you." Emmett said.

He heard Bella snarl at Alice as Jasper stood in front of her, protecting her. "What the hell did you do Alice?!"

"She told Nessie to leave!" Edward replied angrily.

Alice was pleading with him in her mind to listen to her but he didn't, the anger he was feeling was intense, and the sorrow that was beginning to seep in was deep. His baby girl was gone, alone in the world, where anything could happen to her, with no one to protect her, no one to comfort her when she needed comforting. For all he knew she could be dead right then, rotting away while they stood their doing nothing about it.

Despite his anger, they didn't have time to stand around and fight, his little girl was out there, and he needed to find her. He stopped struggling against Emmett and spoke in a harsh tone.

"Let go of me."

"Not until you've calmed dow-

-I said let go of me." Edward hissed.

Emmett's grip quickly loosened and Edward pushed away from the bigger vampire. He didn't look at Alice or Jasper as he walked away from his family with Bella at his side. No he wouldn't allow any of them to see just how betrayed he felt or how sad and scared he was at the moment for his daughter.

Looking up he found Jacob wearing a nervous expression on his face, his voice was tight as he spoke. "Hey have you guys seen Nessie? Leah went to check on her, but she wasn't in her tent."

Another sob escaped Bella's lips and Edward shook his head. "You should gather the others because she's not here." Edward said as he walked passed the younger man.

"What do you mean she's not here?" Jacob asked nervously.

Edward snapped then. "She's not here! She left! She ran away for god knows what reason!"

Bella finally let her ear splitting scream out as she fell to the ground and Edward quickly was at her side, her face contorted into pain and the disappearance of their child.

Jacobs face mimicked hers, before he shifted into his wolf form, running away from them as he howled painfully into the sky.

Bella clung to him as he began to speak to her softly. "We'll call everyone and ask them to keep an eye open just in case."

Bella only replied through her dried sobs. "Do you think she's alright?"

He couldn't reply to that, and he didn't try to, in truth he could only wonder along with his beloved wife. Renesmee was only a child still to them despite her age; it was no lie that she could charm her way to get what she wanted in their home. Though in the real world, batted lashes and innocent smiles or pouted lips wouldn't always work. Then there was the stubborn side of his daughter that would make even Emmett aggressive and that side of Renesmee put with another stubborn and equally angry person could really be trouble. The main problem however was the hunting, Renesmee was taught well, but if she went too long without blood sustenance, it could cause her to do something drastic that could lead to her exposure. If that happened not even the ancients could help them, Renesmee would be sentenced to death …..

The snapping of a branch caught his attention; he turned quickly to find Carlisle and Esme walking up to them. Carlisle spoke as he got closer to them. "We talked to Alice … I think you should hear what she and Jasper have to say."

" ….. Hear what she has to say?" Bella cried. "She's the reason Nessie left!" She continued through her sobs.

Esme pulled Bella towards her, embracing her, shushing Bella with soothing words while rubbing her back. Edward turned back to Carlisle.

"Jacob should be on her scent by now." He said.

"He's not going to get anywhere. …You know as well as I that serendipity has usually been on Renesmee's side. Come home and just listen, maybe you'll understand." Carlisle replied.

"We won't get anywhere if we don't try. Not too mention she hasn't fed since our last hunt which was a couple of days ago, she could snap any moment." Edward bit back.

Carlisle only sighed before he responded. "I went back to the house and checked if she was there when I heard, but instead I found that a few bags of blood donations had been taken, meaning she'll be fine for a little while. Now come on, let's go home and talk about this."

Edward still refused to move and continued his stubbornness with another sentence. "How many bags Carlisle?"

"Three … But it means that she's set her mind to a certain place, and that's always a good sign, it'll help us narrow it down. She even took her laptop; we can track her as well."

He was hesitant at first, his stubbornness still controlling his thought process. Although when his eyes caught hold of Bella and Esme running off towards the direction of the house, he finally decided in his mind that he'd do as Carlisle asked, if not for him he'd do it for Bella, Nessie was her daughter as well.

So as they sprinted through the passing forest, Edward scanned his mind for all places Nessie would go to, who she'd go to that they all knew of course, and she thought she would be able to trust to keep her hidden.

By the time they got to the house he'd narrowed his search down to all of the places, Nessie actually liked the human food, and all the places she loved shopping whenever they left Forks. Inside the house his siblings were waiting, sitting on the pristine white couch surrounding Alice and protecting her from him and Bella, and Rosalie as well it seemed seeing as Emmett was holding her back as well from the brunette. Edward took his spot next to his wife and mother respectively, waiting for someone to speak.

Carlisle was the one to break the ice as he walked into the room. "Edward, Bella ... We all know you're worried, but just for the sake of Nessie listen to what Alice has to say, I think if you hear her out, maybe you'll be less angry at her."

With those words Carlisle nodded at Alice, pressing her to begin, Alice grabbed her husbands hand as she started to speak softly.

"You have to understand … I did it for her, you should've heard what she was feeling, the emotions that were passing through her were so frightening, and they've been going through her for the past couple of years now. … She wasn't happy with him; she only dated him because in all honesty we all know that Jacob is the only male that you approve of as a boyfriend, the only one you'd accept. Nessie was only going to marry him because she figured it was what you expected of her-

-So it's our fault she left, is that what your saying?!" Edward hissed out.

It was unfortunate but as much as he used to despise hearing others thoughts, he wished he knew what the truth was at the moment. Nessie had developed a little trick to not let him know what was going through her mind, and she'd passed her knowledge to Alice who'd just happened to be using it this very moment. The continuation of a single word going in and out of her mind was keeping him from really hearing her inner thoughts, that plus the addition of fading anger was beginning to irritate him more than anyone could think possible, they'd prepared in the short time.

"No … I'm trying to tell you that Nessie didn't love Jacob like he loved her … she loves him as a brother, a best friend, and from what it looks like she may always feel that way." Alice finished.

It was then Rosalie decided to finally speak up on the matter her words vicious as she spoke."I'm sorry Bella, Edward I tried to stop her, but Alice she wouldn't stop."

Emmett obviously took the side of Alice though. "Edward, you know I love Nessie like she's my own daughter, but you should have heard what she was saying, and what she was feeling Jasper here made me feel what she felt …. It's hurts bro, she just wants to be herself she doesn't want to live the way you want her to."

"Does that mean you know where she is?" Bella asked hopefully.

Edward shook his head slowly as he replied softly, Alice was finally allowing him to see and know everything that happened when they weren't there." Alice gave her specific advice not to tell her, none of them know where she is."

Bella was putting up a strong front, despite the fact that all of them knew just how much Renesmee meant to her. Words could barely describe the love the vampress had for her half human daughter.

Alice sighed breaking the silence with her next words. "Well at least she won't be marrying that dog."

"Alice!" Bella cried shocked

"Oh please Bella, you & I both know that the only reason why you even allowed him even be near her after his feelings developed was because you felt bad for him." Alice continued.

"That's not true!" Bella argued.

"Seriously Bella, he was in love with you one minute, then lost because you picked Edward, he despised Nessie to the point that he wants to kill her-

-He thought I was dead you can't blame him for that!" Bella defended.

Alice ignored the younger vampire as she continued her assault. "Then miraculously just when he's about to kill her, he just happens to imprint on _your _daughter of all females … You can't blame Nessie for running when she did, how could you even call it _real _love? I mean he only imprinted because she was capable of breeding strong _pups _for him_._" Alice finished.

"And what would you rather have her marry Alice? A Human?" Edward asked with an edge to his voice.

She was undeterred by his malice as she spoke. "No, but I'd rather see her with a human than some animal … And for you information she shouldn't have to be concerned with marriage at all at the moment she's still young … but if she were to want to settle down, I'd suggest a classy, sophisticated, intelligent and handsome vampire."

Carlisle shook his head as he walked back into the room tossing something to Edward. Catching it he stared at the small microchip, realizing it was the tracker from Renesmee's laptop.

"That's gone, along with all of her passports." He said to the others.

"So what do we do then?" Esme asked

"Renesmee will hide out in a place she feels safe and secure, somewhere where she can eat human food that she actually likes." Carlisle said.

"There are quite a few countries she could be hiding in." Emmett said.

"We need to call the other covens." Bella said.

"Already alerted them, they promised to give a call back if they see her." Carlisle replied.

"Then what do we do?" Rosalie asked.

Edward sighed before he replied. "We split up and search for her."

"And if we find her what do we do? And don't say you're going to give her some more time to develop feelings for Jacob." Alice said.

"We'll deal with that later, for now we need to find her." Edward said.

Alice crossed her arms against her chest as she replied. "I refuse to help you, I think she deserves to get away from this place and see the world."

Edward knew that it was useless to ask, if there was one thing that each of them shared, it was stubbornness, Alice, Rosalie and Renesmee all had the most stubborn minds in the house, so when they put their minds on something then it was how it went. Sighing he stood up and flew up the stairs opening Renesmee bedroom door. Renesmee was a very meticulous cleaner, so everything was always neat looking like a picture from a magazine. Her bed was made, the throw blanket folded at the foot of the bed, Edward sat down on the white and purple bed, trying to make sense of everything, trying to understand his daughter.

Renesmee had finally convinced Bella when she was fifteen to redecorate her bedroom; she'd thrown out all the pink and even threw her old bed out. She'd moved out of the cottage when she was thirteen claiming that they needed space, seeing as she saw them every minute of every day. Bella didn't take to well on that, nor did Alice and Rosalie, that's why the closet turned into a mixture of pink and purple and the bathroom completely pink.

She'd always whine to him about how they treated her as if she were a baby, dressing her in pretty clothes that usually consisted of pink. She'd screamed when he'd convinced Bella to have her hair cut to her shoulders, refusing to talk to him for an entire month till she got used to the cut. He couldn't help it, he didn't want her to grow up, he didn't want her to leave him, she was his daughter and he loved her more than his own life, just like he loved Bella. He didn't want to see men leering at her no matter if it were a human or even a vampire, he didn't like the fact that girls only ever wanted to talk to her to know her family more, he didn't want to see her be used.

Edward knew what he'd been doing was selfish, but what dad wanted to share their most prized possession with the world.

* * *

_With Renesmee_

Renesmee shook her head at the selection of vehicles that had been _offered_ so kindly by the Florence, Italy car dealership, and that were now currently at her disposal. One particular though caught her eyes, the neon blue paint stood out against the black painted vehicles, the Mini Coupe calling to her like a siren to a sailor.

She knew now what her aunt had been thinking when she'd stolen the car when she and her mother had come to Italy to stop her father. Running over to it, she looked around the empty garage and looked out into the city of Florence, it was still dark out and no one would notice it missing for a few more hours, and at the speed she'd be going it would only take her two in a half hours to get there according to her calculations. Renesmee pressed down on the handle finding that it was unlocked she smiled as she jumped in and placed her bag in the passenger seat, with that she opened up the bottom panel where the engine wires were. It was a good thing that she'd actually paid attention when Rose had been teaching her about cars and their makings, and how to drive them when she was fifteen. The engine roared to life and she sat up fixing the seat so she could see the rode, and fixing the mirrors as well, shutting the door she smiled to herself in the rear view mirror.

"Let's hope Aro actually doesn't hold grudges." She said to herself as she pulled out of the space and drove out of the dealerships car garage.

Unfortunately for her mother she'd inherited her fathers love for fast and expensive cars, it was a nightmare come true for Bella when Edward had bought her a Lamborghini Diablo for her sixteenth birthday in pink on black.

Yes she's been spoiled, but also thoroughly disciplined, to be quiet truthful this was the first time she'd actually considered doing something suggested by her mischievous aunt, and the first time she's ever broken any rules set by her parents. Surely if they knew where she was, and what she'd just done, and what she was planning to do she'd get a good slap in the face from both her parents. The city before her quickly passed by as she increased speed, hurrying to reach her destination, she needed to beat the sun for her plan to work out, and if everything went precisely to plan she would make it before sunrise, and she would make that little blonde pay for ever hurting her father.

The view began to change and she found herself passing through fields, Italy was so beautiful, even during the dark hours. The cool summer peaceful breeze running against her skin as she hung it out the window, the cloudless sky, the star filled atmosphere was just breathtaking and something she would have never expected, but then again she didn't know what she suppose to expect, her parents had told her that the Volturi were a cruel coven and that they were extremely dangerous, while her grandfather Carlisle would often tell her that the leading coven was very strict on rules, and that they did the horrible things they did to protect the vampire race, and to protect their provisions as well, but she'd never had heard anything bad about them from him, but then again he hardly liked to talk much about them unlike her parents did when the subject would come up.

Once she got to that town everything would change, she wouldn't be able to say for better or worse, but she knew that something would happen, and her adventures would begin.

….. If she got to Italy so far without the guards already on a country wide search for her then she was clear. It was scary the connections her parents had, well her grandfather at least, why Aro would talk to him as if they were already old colleagues before a battle.

* * *

_La Push Reservation_

Leah rubbed Jacobs shoulder as she sat down next to him on the couch, pitying him for what had happened. It was suppose to be the happiest day of his life, and because of the little half breed it was the worst day of his life, she knew from the very beginning that the little monster was trouble in a bottle. Though she never said anything being as she was Jacobs imprinted, as well as the girl had done nothing before this to give her reason to confirm her true suspicions. It was unknown what would happen now that Renesmee refused to marry him, to be with him, the younger girl was Jacob's world, his oxygen, his heart, and brain, and she was everything to him because of the imprinting. Not even Billy or Carlisle could say what would happen to Jacob with his imprintee's rejection, but she knew for a fact that the effects of her being gone for the last twenty six hours was weighing down on her leader.

Jacob was becoming hysterical; it had taken them a whole hour just to get him to give up searching for clues to where Renesmee would go. She'd taken all her passports, and they'd found that she' also taken out the tracker her father put in years back, leaving the packs as well as the Cullen's at a dead end. They'd tracked her all the way to the Seattle international airport, it was unfortunate but Edward Cullen had passed his speed to Renesmee, it had probably only taken her about ten minutes to get from Forks to Seattle at her full speed, and it was unknown which plane she took either.

Leah turned her attention back to Jacob, his body was slouched, his eyes dyed in agony while he stared at the set of gold rings that had belonged to his parents once. He looked as if he was dead, his eyes were red and puffy, black circles forming from lack the lack of sleep he'd had. She was sure that in his mind he was blaming himself for it all, when in truth it wasn't his, but it was Renesmee's fault for him being in the state he was at the moment, and Leah would rather be damned to hell than watch as he fell into a depression to deep to get out of, while she slept away all her problems in some five star luxury suite in another country.

The voice in her head was telling her that it was impossible, she was an imprinted, she wouldn't able to be away from Jacob, but perhaps it wasn't true, maybe if she was capable of rejecting Jacobs love, then she would be able to be away from him. It made absolutely no sense though, she'd heard Billy and Carlisle discuss a few times, and when Bella was pregnant she felt extremely saddened when Jacob would leave, because it was Renesmee who was saddened about his department.

Leah rubbed her head at the headache she was getting from all the thinking she was doing.

Although if Renesmee was saddened at Jacobs departure when she was still in Bella's womb, and Bella obviously being pregnant, would Bella's emotions be doubled because of the hormones and changes she was going through? Renesmee is an imprinted, and as a child Jacob had always treated her as a sister, a friend, perhaps because Renesmee was half vampire she would be very sentimental about things, this proven many times through the years. Vampires were very emotional creatures, and Renesmee was half, and Bella was human at the time, and the pregnancy made her just as emotional as a vampire probably. Would it have been possible that Renesmee's feelings had quadrupled Bella's feelings?

"Hey how's he doing?" A voice asked suddenly causing Leah to jump from her spot from shock.

She turned around to found Seth leaning against the wall, and turned back to see Jake still in his spot, she shook her head as she turned back to look at her brother, tilting her head towards the kitchen silently telling him to follow.

Walking into the room Leah finally spoke. "I need you to stay her with him." She said quietly

"Why where are you going?" He asked as he looked towards Jake.

"I have to ask Carlisle something very important … Just stay and make sure he doesn't do anything drastic." Leah said as she grabbed the car keys off the table.

"You'll get their faster on foot." Seth said.

"I need to get some air, his depression is starting to grab on to me." Leah said.

Seth nodded in understanding, before he went to the living room to sit down with Jake.

Leah walked outside slowly taking her time as she started the car.

* * *

_With Renesmee in Italy_

Renesmee Blinked as she found herself rolling up to Volterra, even with the miles between her and the walls of the city she could still see everything so clearly.

Looking at the clock she found that it was only six twenty in the morning. Her brain began to rack her memories for where her mother had said the entrance to the Volturi's subversive castle was in the story she'd told her. The words clock tower, and fountain finally popped up, and she shifted gears and stomped down on the gas. A thought had formed in her head in the time she'd been driving, and the thought would get her into a lot of trouble with her parents, and Alice would most likely give her an award that showed how proud she'd be of her.

As the gates to the entrance of the city got closer, Renesmee used one of her hands to slip her seat belt on.

The mini crashed into the gate, some of the iron from the gate, stabbing into her skin, causing her to bleed out some, in a few places. She was sure that the Volturi would come even quicker now with the scent of blood, even if they had a rule about not feeding from their own terrain, carnivorous vampires usually couldn't resist the scent of fresh blood, and she wasn't just about to walk into the lobby of the Volturi and demand to see them, that just wouldn't be good for her story, so she was going to make them come to her and take her to their leaders instead.

The car flew into the city along with the gate, it'd been so old that it just came right off its hinges, but strong enough to brake the front window and stab into her skin- she was half human, so her skin wasn't _as _impenetrable as her father, though it did regenerate just as fast, faster actually if she was being honest but she didn't feel the need to ever mention it to them, she needed some secrets. She grabbed onto the piece that was in her shoulder and pulled it out, a small cry escaping her lips as it did, unbuckling her seat she kicked the door open and tumbled out of the car.

She could hear the pitter patter of their feet, there were so many of them, but if what she heard was true, then only two of them would confront her. The sky was still slightly dark, which meant that they were free to roam the streets.

In no more than a second she jumped back at the sight of a tall figure stopping in front of her. They were fast, probably faster than her father, but only because of their fondness to human blood, she'd have to remember that for later times.

The vampire pulled their hood down to reveal dirty blonde hair, black eyes, and an overly confident smirk. His entire aura was nothing but pure demonic charm, so strong that it was practically smothering her mentally.

"Well what do we have here?" He said in a deep English accent.

"Obviously not a drunk party girl … clean as a whistle this one." Another male voice said. Renesmee's neck snapped to its right to find another had appeared. His hood still on, she could still see his pale white skin in the darkness, and he was tall, probably a good foot taller than her uncle Emmett, and a good two, maybe three feet taller than her, he was even more bulky than Emmett as well. Though neither was the vampire she was looking for, however she was positive the little blonde was lurking around somewhere watching.

Renesmee pressed herself further into the car as she heard the blonde's next words. "Definitely a virgin."

"We haven't had a virgin in such a long time." The one on her side said

"Demetri, Felix, have some manners and don't play with your food." A female voice spoke.

Renesmee's head then whipped to its left to find a small figure about the same size as her walking towards the three of them.

'_That's the one._' Renesmee thought to herself, she looked behind the little vampress to the sky behind her to find the sky was beginning to lighten up some more. Just a little longer till sunrise.

The blonde vampire in front of her grabbed at Renesmee wrist, his cold hands bringing her into his body, causing her to break out of the thoughts. Growling at him she quickly twisted away from him using her human speed and kicked him away from her, she and the other two vampire's watched as the blonde skidded away from them.

Not long after the initial shock wore off, Renesmee was ducking out of the way from the giant one that had nearly pounced on her, jumping back into the car she slammed the door shut. Screaming as she watched the giant vampire tear it off viciously and throw it out of the way, while his partner, the blonde reached in and grabbed her leg, flinging her out of the car. She rolled out of the way again just in time to miss getting pounced on by the blonde, though to avoid being smashed by the big one, Renesmee rolled onto the blondes back. He switched their positions just as quickly. He was so close to her when she remembered that he was still a man, and reminded herself she was also a vampire, she shoved her knee into his groins, like any other man he cried out in pain and she took the opportunity to push him off herself.

Standing back up Renesmee began to walk over to the little blonde that had just stood there the entire time, only to double over in pain

"You know now that I think about it you don't smell like a normal human." The big one said as he walked up to her fallen form.

As the pain began to fade away into nothingness, Renesmee jumped up quickly and continued towards the little blonde that had been confirmed to be Jane. Using her vampire abilities she ran at the small vampress, and jumped behind her, quickly undoing her sash on her dress , she wrapped it over the blonde quicker than she could notice she was where she was, and when she did notice she struggled violently against Renesmee.

Renesmee smirked as she spoke. "Can't cause any pain if you can't see your enemy."

"Who the hell are you?!" Jane hissed out as she continued to struggle, but alas Renesmee was using all her strength to keep a hold on the vampire.

Ignoring Jane, Renesmee looked up at the sky and found that it was even lighter than before, she could begin too see the black begin to bleed slowly into the pinks, reds, and oranges that made up the dawn.

"Who am I? Well I guess I should tell you, it has been quiet some time since you've seen me anyhow." Renesmee said.

With those words she pulled down Jane's hood roughly right as the sun came up into the sky, and the rays lit their skin.

Demetri and Felix were frozen in place as they watched the Renesmee's skin glow before them, to any regular human, it might look like she was standing in the right place for the sun to do it, but they knew better.

"I'm the child you tried to kill eighteen years ago." She said before she slipped the pink sash off Jane's dazzling face and pushed her roughly at the other two vampires.

"Cullen." Felix finally said as he stared at the small girl in shock.

"Someone grew up." Demetri added as he looked Renesmee up and down.

Jane snarled at Renesmee only to have Demetri grab her and turn her away from the sight of the other girl.

"Isn't there a rule about killing a vampire if they expose themselves?!" Jane asked as she struggled with Demetri.

Renesmee's smirk widened as she spoke. "There is, but unfortunately my _radiance _can be considered an effect caused by the suns rays, as well as my current position. …. Although if there's anyone watching I'm sure their interested in your _dazzling_ looks and why you speak of _vampires _as if they're _real_." She whispered quietly.

She squeaked though when she found Felix in her face. "You're coming with us." He said as he grabbed her arm and violently dragged her with him. She struggled out of his grasp speaking as she walked back to the destroyed car. "Wait I need my bag." She said as she looked around the car, she bent over an iron pole from the gate and grabbed her backpack.

When she stumbled out of the car again she sighed as she found Felix waiting for her, this time she held her arm out for him to take, watching him smile as he did, this time though his grip wasn't as rough.

As they walked out of the square Demetri finally spoke not turning to look at her though she knew there was that demonically charming smirk on his face the whole time.

"You do realize that if Aro decides to let you go, you're going to be fixing the gate."

Renesmee only smiled as she watched Jane struggle in the other blondes grasp, the pink sash had been tied back on her while both her hands were in the male vampires hands, dragging her behind him as he walked in front of them.

Luckily the fountain wasn't too far from the entrance to the Volturi's _home._Walking into the office front that was empty, Renesmee held tightly to her bag, hoping with all her might that Aro didn't hold a grudge against her family. She was pushed into an elevator and she stumbled, all her strength was already beginning to dissipate and regulating back to its natural limitations.

"So is your mother still with Edward?" Felix asked as he broke the awkward silence in the small elevator.

Renesmee turned to the bigger vampire, looking up at him with wide, horrified eyes, her speech coming out tightly as she spoke. "Yes my mom is still with my dad."

The bigger vampire though didn't seem to notice her embarrassment as he spoke again.

"If she ever left him, you think maybe I'd have a chance with her?" Felix asked

This time her eyes were filled with amusement as she replied. "Would you be willing to go to the vegetarian side?"

Felix was quiet for a moment; only a moment to Felix was only a second or two. "Are you sure she wouldn't wasn't to give human blood a try?"

Renesmee's face fell into an annoyed frown. "Yes I'm sure."

"You sure about that? Because if she were to leave him wouldn't mean she'd tired of him, and if she's tired of him don't you think she'd be tired of hi-

-Felix shut up, your making her feel uncomfortable." Demetri said.

"Thank you." Renesmee said just as the elevator dinged and the doors to it opened.

They walked down the grand hall in a grateful silence, though for Renesmee her mind was screaming at her to run with every step she took. It was the voice that always did as her parents said, and it was screaming at her about how bad of an idea this was, as the large double doors got closer to her. Another voice popped into her head reminding her that Aro was smart, and if she ran, he was sure to alert her parent of where she'd been, or they'd merely catch her and drag her back. So when the doors were pushed open she made the decision to see what future held behind them.

"Felix, Demetri, Jane." Aro said carefully as they took in their appearance.

"Who's your deliciously smelling friend?" Caius asked

"Jane, darling why are you wearing that sash?" Aro asked.

Demetri sighed as he undid the sash and handed it back to Renesmee catching Aro's attention. He looked at her curiously as he spoke. "Who are you?"

Aro motioned for Jane to get closer and held out his hand, the small blonde gratefully gave him her hand. The room grew quiet as, Aro's eyes turned to her as he spoke in an awed voice. "Renesmee Cullen, what a surprise this is, we send Demetri and Felix out to see what all the commotion is, and you blindside them … all of them." He said as he let go of Jane's hand.

He walked up to her and took her hand forcefully, he spoke giddily. "Why what an interesting life you've led …. Though, you're so sad most of the time, it's not the life you want to live." He said as he closed his eyes.

That smile went further as he looked down at her. "Even though you don't want to be under your parent's thumbs, you still decided to get revenge for your father on Jane for what she did the last time he was here." He let go of her hands and clapped his own together as he stared down at her giddily.

"My have you grown into an exceptional young woman, such a beauty to look upon as well, right brothers." Aro said.

"Mouthwatering like her mother was." Caius said.

"A sight to behold." Marcus said.

"What does she want?" Caius asked suddenly.

"Dear Renesmee is here to hide from the rest of the Cullen's and her fiancé." Aro replied.

"She barely looks old enough to wed, though those Cullen's do love their weddings, she's barely fourteen, sixteen and already they're marrying her off the first human she develops feelings for." Caius said.

"She's eighteen brother, and she was marrying no human, she was imprinted on the day she was born by the leader of those wolves they were with that day. …. But Renesmee here didn't want to, and Alice was nice enough to tell her what choices were in front of her." Aro replied.

"With her being human is it possible for her to sire a child with the shifters?" Marcus asked.

"Yes." Aro replied worriedly.

Caius spoke up finally his voice filled with rage. "And still they were going to marry her to him; they would have sired a monstrosity together!"

"Yes ….. And deep down Renesmee was afraid of that as well, it's another reason why she ran away from her wedding." Aro said as he continued to stare at her.

Marcus spoke up with curiosity as his vivid red eyes looked to her. "She ran away from her wedding?"

Caius snorted as he spoke. "Clearly, take away the blood and I'm sure it'll be considered a wedding gown."

Aro spoke up finally silencing the other two. "Brothers quiet …. Now Renesmee what do we do with you?" Aro asked her as he placed his hands onto her shoulders, she watched as a necklace dangled from his neck, and instantly she remembered the beautiful necklace she'd found.

Aro turned away from her quickly as he contemplated his question to himself. Renesmee took the time to unzip her backpack and grabbed the box; she slipped her bag onto her shoulder and spoke hesitantly.

" …. I think this belongs to you." She said.

Aro turned around quickly at the sound of her voice and smiled. "Such a beautiful harmony your voice is to my ears." He said as he took the box from her.

Opening the box he smiled down at the necklace. "Such a silly way to determine your destination." He said.

"Is that not the gift you sent to Edward & Isabella for their wedding?" Marcus asked.

" …. It turns out Isabella doesn't like expensive gifts given to her." Aro replied.

"Aro have you decided what you wish to do with her?" Caius asked.

Aro smiled at her as he spoke. "Darling Renesmee I would love to have you stay here with us, but of course you will have to do something in return for us."

"I refuse to join the guard … and drink _from_ a human." Renesmee said

"Oh no, nothing like that child, I was hoping you would take the place of you grandfather." Aro said.

Renesmee lifted a neatly trimmed brow and stared at Aro questioningly, he frowned in return. "How silly of me, I forgot they never told you about your grandfathers past. … Carlisle was our companion, he stayed here with us for many centuries before he decided to leave us, and since then we haven't found anyone interesting enough to replace him."

Renesmee's eyebrow lifted higher as she spoke. "When you say companion do you mean friend or ….?"

She didn't know how it was possible but Aro's smile widened impossibly more as he explained to her. "Friend of course, my brothers and I have had to use each other as one another's company for so long that we are becoming irritated with each other. All I ask for is someone to converse with really"

Sounded reasonable, if she was stuck with her mother and father or any of her family to talk with only, then she'd be asking the first person that she found interesting as well. She wanted to accept, she was going to except, but her curiosity was getting the best of her, the stupid _'What if's' _were popping out from her mouth.

"What if I don't except?" Renesmee asked.

Aros' smile turned mischievous as he replied "Well you can leave, if you can get past my children of course that is, and if you do happen to get past them I'd be forced to have to contact your family letting them know where you'd been, and to make sure you got home safely I'd offer Demetri to them to help them track you down and take you home, and if you don't get passed the others, you'll stay here until your parents can come for you."

"You wouldn't." Renesmee said.

"Oh but dear Renesmee you already know I would." Aro said.

Caius spoke again this time addressing Renesmee. "So girl what are you going to do?"

Renesmee sighed softly before she replied, though she knew all along what she was going to do anyways. "It's not like I wasn't going to except, so yes, I will be your companion for my duration here."

Aro smiled as he clapped his hands together. "That's a good girl; now Felix if you would escort Renesmee to the North wing, I'm sure she'll adore the chambers of Sirena della Signora."

"Yes master." Felix said as he pulled Renesmee away.

Though their path was blocked as Jane appeared in front of them her red eyes narrowed in anger. A blink and Renesmee was falling to the ground in pain again, she found that it was no use asking for help, Aro was most likely examining the situation and wondering if it was right or not to stop it.

The pain began to fade away and Felix pulled Renesmee up by her arm. She ripped her arm out of his hand and quickly grabbed at Jane's neck, throwing her onto the marble floor, holding her in place as she replayed the memory and the pain she'd just felt for the blondes entertainment, showing her exactly what it felt like.

She could hear Aro laughing manically, and she watched as Jane screamed and writhed in pain that was from herself. Felix though ruined it and pulled her off the older vampire, only to have Jane tear her away from him and throw her to the ground, the two girls went at it, and Aro smiled as he watched their bodies blurs pass him from left to right as they fought. He was holding the others back from interrupting the dispute.

From the corner of his eye he watched as Alec came up from behind him. "Alec my son, right on time as always, care to watch the show?" He asked.

Though it was too late, the younger vampire had already disappeared and was pulling the two girls apart from each other. He sighed, saddened that his entertainment had come to an unfortunate end.

Felix had Jane locked against his body as she struggled to break free from him while, Alec held Renesmee by the arm, both girls growling at one another.

"My lovely girls please there no need to fight." Aro said as he came up to Renesmee and grabbed her hands again.

"Brothers, she can mimic her emotions and feelings with a single touch, how wonderful is that?!" Aro asked.

"Interesting what more can she do?" Caius asked.

"Yes, Renesmee what more can you do?" Aro asked.

Renesmee smirked at the blonde girl as she replied. "I can touch fire … and not combust."

Aro grinned. "Fascinating isn't she brothers."

"The other couldn't do that." Marcus said.

"Because he's a male, males have venom remember, females don't." Aro replied happily before he turned to Jane.

"Let her go, she needs to wash herself up." Aro said as he turned back to Renesmee.

"Felix show Renesmee to her chambers."Aro ordered as he turned away from her and went back to his seat.

Alec let go of Renesmee and looked down at the small girl, his mind searching for the reason why the name sounded so familiar. He watched as Renesmee left the room with Felix, and turned back to Aro with a questioning look upon his angelic features. Aro ignore him though as he went to sit in his chair, staring at a box.

Jane growled capturing his attention, and he turned to find his sister on the floor, a bone pocking out of her body. Walking towards her he crouched down and picked her up. When he stood up he carried his sister bridal style, nodding at the three elders before leaving the back way.

"I hate Cullen's." Jane spit out.

"Renesmee Cullen ….. That's why the name sounded so familiar." Alec said as he walked out of the throne room with Jane still in his arms.

Jane said nothing as Alec carried her the rest of the way to her room.

Meanwhile Felix and Renesmee were stuck in another bout of awkward silence, with Felix staring at Renesmee the entire time in the cramped elevator.

Finally he spoke breaking the silence as he did so. "You know, now that Aro mentions it, you are actually very beautiful." He said.

It had been an unexpected curve ball and Renesmee couldn't avoid the blush that crept across her cheeks, they deepened considerably as he continued to speak. "You blush like your mother …. Since your half vampire does that mean that a vampire can feed from you without you turning?"

She spoke finally quickly changing the subject. "You have a room called Lady Siren?"

Felix stared at her silently, before he spoke again. "You understand Italian?"

Bella replied quickly. "Half vampire remember, I learn things quickly and easily ….. I know quiet a bit of languages because of it."

Felix nodded his head in understanding and the elevator dinged then, the doors opening for them to leave the small space.

"Right now follow me Miss. Cullen." Felix said as he grabbed Renesmee's arms and dragged her out of the elevator.

"I can walk on my own you know." Renesmee hissed as she ripped her arm out of his grasp.

Felix only quirked a brow as he spoke. "For a hybrid you're unusually strong …. Nahuel wasn't even as strong & he's a whole century older than you." He said.

Renesmee stopped in her tracks at the mention of the kind older man. "You know Nahuel?" She asked.

Felix smirked down at her in amusement. "Well what do you know … You hybrids don't have networks like us full-blooded vampires' do-

-Cut the crap how do you know Nahuel?" Renesmee asked as she cut Felix off from his teasing.

The taller of the two frowned mumbling something under his breath about Cullen's, before he spoke again. "After we left from Forks eighteen years ago, Aro sent a few of us to South America to get Joham, Nahuel's father, and his sisters, well by the time we got there, Joham had already gotten wind of us, and I guess he thought we were going to exterminate his daughters, and him, probably thinking he broke the law or something on those lines because when we arrived the girls were all dead, and Joham was no where to be find. ….. So Aro sent us to Chile to ask Nahuel to come stay with us for a little while to do some tests to see the difference and the similarities between us and you." Felix explained.

"You experimented on Nahuel!" Renesmee asked angrily.

Felix raised his hands defensively as he spoke. "We did it with his permission."

Renesmee backed down after that but asked another question. "He left alive and well?"

"Very … Of course he was also given the task of finding as many of you there was, despite the fact that you are human, you are also a vampire, and vampires listen to Aro, because he is the law."

"I don't know whether to believe you or not." Renesmee said as Felix pushed her foreword instead of replying to her comment.

"Come on now little Cullen, you need to get yourself cleaned up, and prepare for the day, knowing how Aro is, he's probably planned out your entire stay." Felix said as he walked down the grandiose hall.

Renesmee looked down at her clothes and remembered she needed to go shopping. "I hope Aro wouldn't mind postponing these plans of his, I need to go shopping … I was in such a hurry that other than this dress, I have only one other outfit on me."

"He knows, if he hadn't, he would have ordered me to either take you back to the throne room, or to wherever he was going to be, but seeing as he didn't means that he already knows what you plan to do, so your free to do whatever until he summons you … in which one of us will come and escort you to where he is."

"I won't always have to have an escort will I?" Renesmee asked.

"Only until you've memorized the layout of the castle."

Felix stopped at large double doors that ascended high above her.

"This will be the room for your entire stay." Felix said as he pulled out a ring of keys, using one that had a design of a mermaid on its handle.

"Are all the doors locked around here?" Renesmee asked as she watched him unlock the door. Felix replied easily. "Only the vacant rooms, & if you don't want anyone to go in they usually put their names on the list for the maids."

"Oh." Renesmee replied as Felix pushed open the door revealing a gorgeous bedroom.

"Oh wow." Renesmee gasped as she walked into the enormous bedroom.

"Welcome to the Sirena della Signora." Felix said as he watched her.

The walls were a dark tear, the ceiling high and aloud strips of natural light in. They were currently standing in the sitting area that was simple and elegant all at the same time, two small couches were on different sides of the room, two ceiling fans above them and two large portraits. A large square archway separating the couches, and the sitting room from the bedroom, with a bed in the center of the room, and a bench at the center of the foot, all brown and whiter decorations like the sitting area.

"Well I'll leave you to do whatever you're going to do, the key is still in the door … don't lose it." Felix said as he walked out of the room quietly.

Renesmee paid him no heed as she twirled around the large room.

'_God it's beautiful.'_She thought to herself. Walking to into the bedroom she sighed as she set her backpack onto the large bed. The walls were the same dark teak, the bed canopy was the same beautiful snow white as the sheets and couches.

"Talking about to escaping to paradise." Renesmee said to herself as she examined to the room. There was another double doors entrance which she guessed was the bathroom, the ceiling was the same as the sitting room as well. She was taken out of her musings though when a knock was at her door, but before she could even answer the door was being pushed open revealing a long legged mahogany haired beauty, walking into the room, and before she could blink the red eyed vampiress was in front of her.

"Renesmee Cullen, my have you grown." She said with a smug smirk on her face.

Renesmee cocked an eyebrow at the woman as she spoke. "You obviously know who I am, but who are you?" She asked.

The woman laughed for a moment before she finally introduced herself. "Forgive my rudeness, I'm Chelsea del Volturi, you probably don't remember any of us, you were still a little thing when we first saw you."

"Then a proper introduction is needed." A male voice said, alerting both women. Renesmee caught Chelsea's annoyed look before she spoke to the man. He was the blonde that had first tried to feed from her.

"Don't you have any manners?" Chelsea asked.

The blonde only smirked at the brunette before he turned his attention to Renesmee, that charming smirk of his still in place. "Demetri del Volturi."He said as he took her hand and kissed the top of it, he pulled away with that smirk still in place.

"Such warm skin." He said.

Renesmee rolled her eyes as she lined up the dots in her head. Still manners were manners she could show him a little before she called him out.

"Renesmee Cullen." She replied as nicely as she could.

Chelsea decided to jump in then. "Now that we all know each other, will you leave?" She asked Demetri.

It was obvious to Renesmee that Chelsea and Demetri had some sort of dysfunctional history together by the way the beautiful vampress was practically pushing the blonde out of the room. Demetri though seemed undeterred by the other woman as he ignored her.

"So Renesmee I'm aware that your fiancé sees that you don't want to marry him, perhaps maybe sometime you'd like to-

-No." Renesmee cut off harshly. Demetri's eyes widened in shock, while Chelsea smiled smugly at him. "I'm sorry but I don't waste precious time with womanizers, and you are a womanizer, so if you will be on your way so I can get ready." She continued

It didn't take long for Demetri to grasp the painfully obvious message, so it was expected when he stormed out of the room angrily like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Wow I haven't seen Demetri so embarrassed in over two hundred years." Chelsea said with that smug smile still in tact.

Renesmee sighed as she turned to the other woman as she spoke tiredly. "Was there a reason you came here?" She asked

Chelsea's smile turned soft as she replied. "Aro sent me to tell you to be out side in front of the office and wait for your escort there, and leave your clothes in the bathroom for the maids to pickup."

Renesmee nodded her head in understand .

"Okay then I'll be going now."She said as she spun on her heels.

"Oh yeah one more thing." Chelsea said as she spun back around to Renesmee and handed her the key to the room.

"Thank you." Renesmee said.

Chelsea smiled brightly at her before she skipped away her voice singing a beautiful reply back. "It was nice to meet you Renesmee."

She would've never guessed that the Volturi had a cheerful female member & a womanizer within their guard. Shaking her head she crossed the room to the double doors using her vampire speed and locked it before running back to the bedroom, reaching behind her she undid the zipper of her dress as she walked to the entrance of the bathroom. Opening one of the doors she walked into the large and beautiful lavatory, the walls were the same teak as the room and the floor a gorgeous brown marble, a built in vanity was at the end of the bathroom, a wall separating it from the sink, right next to the vanity was another door as well. The shower was on the left side of the room, the tub was on the left, and next to the double doors where she stood was a dark teak armoire. Walking over to the last door, she opened it and found a spacious walk in closet, with dark teak wood, and champagne marble colored granite tops for the dressers, it was completely empty though.

Walking out she walked over to the armoire and opened it, finding a few towels in it. Closing it she walked over to the shower stall opening the clear door she hung the towel over the stall reaching for the hot water knob she turned it all the way. When the room was steamy and moist, she slipped out of her strapless bra and panties and stepped into the clear, and fogged stall.

It was in there that her mind wondered over to her family in Forks, her mother was probably having a breakdown, her father looking under every crevice and rock he could see. Alice was most likely hiding with Jasper protecting her from anybody who became her enemy, Rose was most likely helping Alice some way and her father in another, Emmett right along with her. Carlisle was helping everyone, with Esme caring for all of them, both keeping close eyes on her parents, and Charlie probably didn't know as always.

Then there was Jacob, she couldn't even think of what he was doing, it could be moaning in pain and falling into a depression so deep he couldn't come out that was caused by her abandonment. He could even be searching high & low for her, tiring out the whole pack, he himself, and refusing to give up, worse scenario he was fighting with anyone who got on his bad side.

Deep down though she knew it had to be, she couldn't allow them to control her, and she wouldn't continue to be in a one-sided relationship anymore. She was a grown woman now, she needed to live life, experience things, learn from people and experiences, and she needed to make her own decisions. Sad as it was every mistake she'd ever made her parents always took the blame for her, that wasn't how it was suppose to be though. There would've come a time where the punishment could be something even she knew they couldn't take for her.

So if it meant having to run to the people her parents wanted nothing to do with, then so be it.

Watching the blood mix with the water, and go down the drain she sighed, hoping that, that wasn't what was going to happen to her.

* * *

_**Well Thanks for reading.**_

_**1) I'm mixing movies, and books together, so the characters look like the ones in the movies.**_

_**2)If you want too see my version of eighteen year old Renesmee then check out the link on my profile, and you'll also find some more links to other stuff later on., she doesn't look eighteen, but a bit younger thought it would go nice with the Alec character**_

_**Anymore questions?**_


	2. Shopping Is a Type of Therapy

_**Just for a warning note, there will be Italian speaking in this chapter, if you don't know Italian just go to this website - Free Translation - if you don't need the (.com) then if you just type it in all together it should take you directly to the site.**_

_**And the outfit for this page is on the link on my profile. under chap 2**_

_**Thanks for the reviews.**_

_eline, Lady Crux, Ikuto Loves Me More, -TessaChobit-, Chay2193, TheTiesWeMade_

_**And for the Favs.**_

_Ikuto Loves Me More, ILeftMyselfInTexas, RedSoxFan7, sakurablossom142, TheTiesWeMade, .Sky, Lady Crux_

_**And of course the Alerts.**_

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**Oh and To Lady Crux, thanks so much for getting me started and bringing me to this site.**

_'Always expect the worst, and you will never be disappointed_._'_

_Peter Wastholm_

Italy was considered a place of magic and myth surrounded by beautiful people in striking and exquisite clothes, as well as amazing food …. Well at least according to human magazines, television, and internet.

… For the vampires, Italy was considered forbidden, sacred; many even called it a cemetery: Volterra in this case was said to be the worst place to be according to the vampire networks. Volterra was called _'La Forca' _which was Italian for 'the gallows' by the vampires.

Renesmee sighed as she rolled her eyes up to look at the summer sun, she couldn't figure out why people would say such things about such a gorgeous place. _Yes_ she could actually understand why, but to make Italy itself sound like a land of nightmares and horrors was not understandable. It had only been a few hours and already she was in love with the place; the people were just so innocent to what was actually protecting them and the views of the city were just breath taking; Volterra was a sort of old charmer, unlike many other places she had been too.

Watching as the square filled with humans, Renesmee sat on the steps of the Volturi office. This simple action obviously attracted much attention from the locals; she wasn't surprised by it either. The Volturi didn't come out much, so when they did, humans were probably stunned by their haunting beauty and their meticulous grace. They were also drawn in by their mysterious nature, and their strong and attractive odor, everything about a vampire was alluring to a human, making them easy prey … Vampires were the perfect predators as her father continuously told her.

…. She could see why her mom fell for her father; she'd take a guy she'd just described any day. Of course he couldn't be more beautiful than her, also she'd want his feelings not to be based on '_magic_'.

A throat cleared and she turned to find a woman, young at that staring at her, waiting for something.

"Renesmee?" She asked her voice thick with that beautiful and natural Italian accent.

"Yes." Renesmee replied as she took in the woman's appearance.

The woman was probably no older than twenty five; her coffee colored hair was put back in a neat long and curled ponytail, with her bangs at the sides of her temple. Perfect light brown olive skin matched with brown eyes that were dusted with smoky liner and shadow, and pretty pink lips. Designer clothes, matching white-ivory, one button jacket, v-neck vest, flared pants, white heels.

"My name is Caprice Melara, Signore Afton has instructed me to take you wherever you wish to go." The woman continued.

According to her family, the secretaries usually always knew that the Volturi were vampires, she only felt pity for the woman if it was her goal to become a vampire.

She wouldn't deny it though; she did smell like a good dish.

….. Three years in Romania cooped up with Vladimir and Stephan was not a smart thing to do, but her parents thought it was a good idea while they chased down Jaspers old colleges for some unknown reason, they claimed it would be a great learning experience for her. Yeah she learned so much, so much that now she sometimes speaks like a carnivorous vampire.

To be perfectly honest, she wasn't afraid of her parents, if she ever went back to her home, she knew that they wouldn't say anything, they'd be mad, but she could be worse, if she was dared and pushed. Though if Vladimir found out, she really wouldn't want him to get a hold of her, she'd seen him disappointed, she'd seen him thirsty, and she'd seen him depressed. If she brought out his betrayed and worse yet his angry side, then she'd fear.

They'd become close to one another over time, she was five when she was taken to him and Stephan and she became attached them quickly and after three years of being with them the attachment was glued together. Especially her and Vladimir, their relationship was something that couldn't be described. Vladimir had told her once that she was his human side, he saw what he could have had, had he stayed human.

So if that was the case why didn't she go to Romania? Her parents would expect it of course, and while she was sure that Vladimir would be on her side she didn't need to deal with the drama that she was sure would come when facing her family.

Her mind a haystack of thoughts, she looked up to find the secretary waiting for her again. "Oh sorry, yeah can we go to Florence; I need to get some shopping done." Renesmee said as she stood up.

The secretary nodded as she turned to walk away as she spoke. "Follow me, my car is outside town."

It was as if the entire Volturi was turned into a gossip column, the whispers between one another as they spoke of the new guest, the Cullen's daughter, a Cullen, an actual Cullen was there in Volterra willingly staying as a guest. It was the biggest thing to be heard about since the last time they heard talk of a Cullen.

Aro sighed as he walked into his private study, unsurprised at the sight of his fair haired brother.

"Caius." He acknowledged as he took a seat in his chair.

His brother spoke angrily as he watched Aro. "I sent Chelsea in to try and pull the girl to us … the unfortunate thing is, she's is more like her parents and even more loyal to her family then she acted."

Aro smirked at his brother as he spoke. "I know, that's why I hadn't sent her myself, dear Renesmee's' recruitment is not what I want."

Caius looked at him suspiciously as he asked. "Then why did you ask her to stay here? I know for a fact that in spite of Carlisle's parting you are not desperate enough for companionship to seek it out in a child … Much less a child that has been refused her own life."

"That may be true, but it is also not at the same time. Renesmee Cullen may be young, but she is very much an intellectual being. What we seek from her is knowledge of the new world, and what she seeks from us is knowledge of our world, of the old world, we can learn from one another and mentally grow… Also, she is a _Cullen_, she has quiet the influence on many other vegetarian covens, and even some of the more private covens that do not wish to become involved with us."

"So we are using her influence to gain the trust of the others?" Caius asked.

"Yes we do want the trust of other covens; however we will not gain it by taking advantage of Renesmee's influence."

Caius lifted a brow as he asked another question. "Then how do we gain the others trust?"

"Renesmee is looking to find herself, and when she does she will leave us and we will let her go like we did her grandfather, so when other covens hear that a Cullen stayed and has respect and loyalty to us, the Volturi, they will follow" Aro explained.

Caius nodded his head in understanding, but stopped when another thought crossed his mind. "How do we gain her trust and loyalty though?"

Aro smiled. "We gain her by giving our respect and loyalty, which will not be a problem, for once you and the others get to know her, you will find that she is not like her parents as much as you all believe her to be, but more like Carlisle is."

Footsteps stopped at the door, and Aro allowed the vampire entrance as he spoke. "Enter" Watching as the blonde vampire wearing a grey suite walk into his study.

"Forgive my interruption; I thought you'd like to know Renesmee Cullen and Caprice were heard talking about leaving to Florence for the day." The blonde said.

"Thank you Afton, anything else?" Aro asked as he watched the vampire hand over a folder.

"These are the latest calls we've received yesterday, I also have Drew replacing Caprice for the day," Afton continued.

"Excellent" Aro said as he skimmed through the papers in the folder.

"May I be of any more service to you?" Afton asked as he stood still in his place.

"As soon as Renesmee returns I will need you to inform her to be ready for the day by sunrise tomorrow" Aro ordered "Of course, I will be going then," Afton replied as Aro waved him off.

"What are the plans for tomorrow?" Caius asked.

"Tomorrow Renesmee will meet our lovely wives. Renesmee won't know how to start her journey and I believe that my charming wife just may be able to guide her in the right direction." Aro replied.

Caius stood up as he spoke again. "What will you be telling the Cullen's?"

"They have not contacted us in any way since our last meeting, I'm positive that they won't be doing so until they become hopeless and desperate enough for our help in searching for Renesmee, and until then we have nothing to fret about. Besides Renesmee is an adult in the world's eyes, her family needs to learn that her affairs are her own."

"Very well then, I take it that Renesmee Cullen will be under your care."

"Yes … and I expect you to treat her like you treated Carlisle."

Caius didn't reply as he left the room, leaving a smirking Aro to his own musings. Shaking his head he looked down at the box on his desk, grasping it in his hands he opened it and chuckled down at the diamond necklace.

_'Such a silly way to choose a destination.'_

Obviously Caprice had never used her vehicle to its full potential as she was holding tightly to her seat while Renesmee drove quickly through the busy freeway.

"Please tell me you're not old enough to drive." Caprice asked hoping that smaller girl in the driver's seat was just as young as she looked. Hoping she could make the girl hand over her key to which she still didn't understand how she ended up letting the girl drive.

"Yep, just turned eighteen …. I was told that you have to be eighteen to drive in Italy once … Is it still that way."  
Caprice turned to the younger girl with wide eyes. "Please tell me that someone taught you how to drive back in America."

"Of course, can't you tell?" Renesmee asked with mock hurt in her voice.

"We should be in Florence in about half an hour at this rate." Renesmee continued as she sped up more to pass a slower car.

"And we can be pulled over any minute now." Caprice cried.

"If there were police out here we would've been able to spot them by now, if they hadn't already pulled us over." Renesmee replied smoothly.

"If I survive this, I'm warning you that if I ever have to take you anywhere to never allow you to drive." Caprice moaned as she tightened her grip on her seat as Renesmee pushed down more on the gas, accelerating their speed.

"Don't worry, I've never once been in a crash, and I always driven this way." Renesmee soothed with a brilliant smile adorning her face. It didn't help calm down the full-blooded human as Renesmee could hear her heartbeat accelerate as well going triple the beats it had been just a while ago. She held back her smirk; she liked this girl so far.

Maybe, just maybe and she wasn't going to get her hopes to high about this. There was a chance this human would stick around longer than what most secretaries did.

_'Oh my son's my son till he gets him a wife, but my daughter's my daughter all her life.'_

_Dinah Mulock Craik_

There had never been a time where Bella and Edward never knew where Renesmee was, or what she was doing when they weren't there with her. She always did what she was told, making the right decisions on everything she did, never once did she ever complain about anything. Though there were a few times she didn't understand why she couldn't go out with her human friends, a conversation which would lead to an argument, but it was never anything so serious before, nothing like this.

She was yelling at them, yet she wasn't even there in the room, crying out and the bedroom walls stood silent. It was nothing anybody could have foreseen, and obviously nothing they could have stopped. Bella's' eyes looked down at the picture in her hands of her and Renesmee at her first graduation. They had been living in Spain attending a Catholic Night school, Renesmee had barely been eleven years old and it had been the first time they attended the act altogether as a family. She'd been so proud, yet so mad at the same time, Renesmee had been insistent that she be allowed to attend a few semester classes during the day. Never wanting to give up on the idea that she could make human friends without her and Edward choosing the ones that were appropriate to be around her, in the end Edward decided against it, believing that it would be too dangerous for Renesmee to befriend teenagers that were three years older than her.

Despite it all though Bella understood, she understood it all too well, Renesmee was so much like her family, right now reminding her of her own mother Renee. The woman was always the butterfly wanting to flutter to the next rose bush as soon as possible, never being able to stay in one place for far too long. Renesmee also got that from her vampire instincts; never could they stay in one place for too long, Vladimir and Stephan were a great example of that.

Vladimir, the once feared leader of the vampire world, the dark king of Romania, the enemy of the Volturi; once he found out about Renesmee, there would be no stopping him in his search, he was far worse than Edward when it came to Renesmee. They'd attached themselves to one another when Renesmee had been left in his and Stephan's care for three years. It was odd that they became close but good to, Vladimir and Stephan showed Renesmee the darker side to being a vampire, showing her the ugly side of it all. Yet Renesmee still loved them, Bella and Edward had hoped staying with the two Romanians would have scared her away from the vampire world but it didn't, it had only increased her curiosity. Thankfully they didn't have to worry, moving to Spain had helped make her forget about being a vampire, making her focus on being human the whole time, while they were forced into drinking human blood, luckily it was from donation bags courtesy of Carlisle, as soon as they were back to Forks they immediately went back to the vegetarian lifestyle.

Bella thoughts changed as she picked up another picture of Renesmee, it had been on her sixteenth birthday. She could remember it clear as day, everything had been done up by Alice and Rosalie as always, Renesmee had insisted that she didn't want a birthday party, but it was her little girls sixteenth, and she'd gotten her first cycle a day prior, she'd been terrified, so many emotions wafting off her, and Jacob, he'd been like a dog in heat, needing to be with her but being denied all access to her by the men of the house as well as Renesmee herself. Thankfully at that birthday party, despite the luscious smell of blood that was everywhere Renesmee was, herself, Jasper, as well as a few others that had been there didn't have the thirst as they had expected. That was probably the one time she should've seen the signs, they were as clear as day, practically beating at her. Renesmee had been so empty that day, and now that she actually thought about it, Renesmee was empty only because she was forfeiting the idea of leaving Jake; Renesmee always had the belief that if things happened it was because they were meant to be, and her period must have been seen as a sign to her, telling her that her and Jake were meant to be together, that their relationship was going to be inevitable.

Inevitable, meant to be, signs, the words were so right for the predicament they were in at the moment. Jake was god knows where with the pack, Edward and Carlisle as well, Alice and Jasper had went back to France to escape from Rosalie and her judgments. Rosalie and Emmett were in Denali, It was just her and Esmee at the house now, everyone else was gone.

Thankfully with the fact that Charlie had married into their world, it became simple to talk to him about everything of her world. It was something that they found a loop hole in, he was protected by shifters, wolves, the Volturi weren't able to do anything about her father since he was protected. So it was making her life easier at the moment she'd just gotten back from her father's house, and it was an interesting chat. He agreed with Alice, saying it was all there, every sign was as clear as water; Renesmee was exactly like her and Edward that it was scary, but for that she was easy to read for him. She'd hid her depression with smiles and laughter, Renesmee had always spent time with each one of them whenever she was able to, shopping with Alice, working on cars with Rose, cooking with Esmee, just being there with herself, Jake was mostly always with her no matter who she was with. Jasper was always enjoyed talking about the his time and other time periods that he'd learned about, it was a shocker but Jasper was a great teacher in every subject and Renesmee went to him about every subject she could go to him for, history being something she loved to go to him for. Emmett was usually there to play fight with her, making sure her body got good energy and used her abilities when given the chance, Carlisle and Renesmee did test on the difference between the four known species, Vampire, hybrid, Shifter, human. Then there was Edward, books, music, dancing, and instruments, she always did that, and when the day was over she would go to sleep, trying to get enough hours and less hours at the same time, resulting in only having four hours of sleep every day, completely wearing herself out and literally falling asleep as soon as she hit the bed.

Renesmee, wherever she was Bella hoped that her daughter knew that she was hearing her cries and she was ready to listen to what she was saying.

Renesmee smiled as she walked through the crowds of people as she looked at the clothes through the windows. So many places and so little time, she wanted it all, and she would have it all even if it took all her strength. Smiling she was glad she moved the money from her trust fund when she was twelve, it was also a good thing her family had made her many I.D. cards, different ages that were all believable at least. All that money including the money she'd gotten from the families foreign accounts, she'd be set for life.

Well more like a few lifetimes, so it wouldn't matter if she took money from them in the first place, it wasn't like they used them ever. She wasn't stealing it either, her grandfather had always told her that the money was there for when any one of them needed it, and she needed it right now or she'd be walking around in her own skin. Well she doubted that Aro would allow her to do that, she was sure that he wasn't that cruel, but she'd rather not dress in the clothes he did provide for her, she'd end up looking like Jane.

Walking into a store filled with purses and other accessories, she grabbed everything that caught her eye. The thrill of shopping, Alice would be so proud to see her now, and the best part was no parents to tell her that she couldn't get what she wanted this time. Reaching into her jacket pocket she handed over the card to the cashier with a beautiful smile.

The woman was checking her out, as always being a vampire attracted all people of every gender, and it made shopping so much easier if the cashiers were attracted to you, they were much nicer to you then.

"Where would you like to go now?" Caprice asked from behind her.

Renesmee pulled the tags off one of her new wallets and slipped her cards and I.D.'s into the slots, after that she pulled out one of the purses out one of the bags and pulled the stuffing out and the tag off slipping the wallet into the bag.

"Now we look for clothes, we start with intimates first, then we move to the other stuff." Renesmee said. Caprice nodded her head. "There are a few stores a few blocks down from here." Caprice said as she kept up with her.

"Then let's get going, we only have eleven hours, and seven minutes left till sunset." Renesmee said enthusiastically as she placed her bags into the back.

"You actually know the length of the day." Caprice said as she stared at her from across the car.

Renesmee smiled as she replied. "Doesn't everyone?"

Caprice merely lifted a brow as she got into the car. "Let's just get going." She said as she started the engine.

Carlisle sighed as he watched the door open to his and Edwards's hotel room revealing a sweat drenched Leah, she walked into the room with her entire body glistening in the moonlight.

"Honestly you could've left a little later." She said as she collapsed on a chair, her demeanor completely relaxed and at ease with her nudity. Something he knew that the Leah from nineteen years ago would have blushed at. The thought of being completely nude in front of any other being was something humans were not casual about.

"Hello Leah." Carlisle responded with a soft smile as he turned in the direction of the dresser so that she could have something on when and if Edward came back.

Leah glared at him as she spoke again. "I was at your house when I found out you left, then I find out your already here in New York! Are you trying to make me hate you more?" She asked.

"Forgive us, Edward has been rushing everything." He said as he handed her some of Edwards clothing.

"Yeah and I've been trying not to phase …. But knowing you all it seems like every second of every day I have to phase, making it more harder for me to age, which means no man my own age won't want someone this young that'll never age." Leah bit back dryly, her words were empty and he knew that she wasn't angry about phasing so much. He did feel guilty for not telling her where he and Edward had been going.

While he would admit that they weren't his children, through the years he'd come to care for the Black pack, especially for the two siblings, Leah and Seth the outsiders within their own people. Two completely different people that were possibly the strongest and most loving beings he'd come to know besides his own wife. They were always so willing to learn something different about the world and themselves their ears practically jumping off their heads in order to grasp everything there was. He hadn't a fair chance after meeting them, destiny seemed to want him to take them as he had his children, and he couldn't resist taking in two lost and innocent shifters.

Still though, as close as they'd come to be Leah hadn't ever truly been one to care for Edward and Bella; more specifically the lone female shifter truly didn't like her step-sister at all, and she wasn't shy about that fact either. She had even left Washington when she'd learned of Jacob and Renesmee's engagement, being as she was one of the few that had been against it from the very beginning. Her reasons for coming back were still unknown and where she had gone had never been spoken of either and he truly had been worried about her the entire time.

"I'm sorry, what are you doing here chasing us down though? Shouldn't you be with Jacob in Forks?" Leah was Jacobs second in command, and he was sure she was feeling some of the pain that Jacob was feeling from the loss of Renesmee. She should be with Jacob consoling and caring for her alpha. Something didn't seem right.

"I tried; he's too depressing." She bit her lip nervously before continuing. " … I wanted you to confirm something for me." There was always a catch; never did Leah do something without reason.

"Yes …." Carlisle pressed on as he turned away from the window and walked over to the sitting area, taking a seat across from Leah, knowing that she was still trying to figure her words out.

"Pregnancy makes women extremely emotional right?" Leah asked carefully, she seemed nervous more so about the words than the question to the point where she turned away from him. Something that was completely out of character for her.

"Yes they become twice as emotional as a normal woman would be because of the hormonal changes the body goes through." He answered honestly.

"And vampires your emotions are just as strong right?"

"If we were to compare are emotions to humans, we could compare the strength of them to that of pregnant women most likely stronger though." She never asked questions regarding his own kind and that made him worry that she was now.

"Is it possible for a child to pass their emotions to their mother while their still in the womb?"

Carlisle sat back as he answered. "There have been some reports of women claiming that they could feel their unborn child's emotions, but they've never been looked into that I know of." Wondering where all this was going.

"But with a vampire is it possible for the mother to feel her half vampire child's emotions … and the child to feel the mother's feelings?"

She threw him off with that last part and as he pieced together the questions as he realized exactly what she was suggesting at. " … Are you suggesting that Jacobs reaction was-" He stopped mid sentence as he watched her face fall and she refused to look at him and for once he wished he could read minds like Edwards. "… It's exactly what I'm saying." She replied bitterly.

"The bonds between mother and unborn child are strong, stronger than most people can believe if it is a true and loving bond especially and with Halflings it seems to be much stronger than even that. The possibility that a Halfling is capable of empathy from the womb is quiet the risk, especially when there's a shape-shifter around that has feelings for the mother. It could complicate some things. I mean it would make sense in many ways though Renesmee does have the tendency to understand and read people better than others. … We always assumed that it was because her mind processes things much quicker than normal humans and her intuition was more prominent that a vampires. … This would make much more sense though."

What about Nahuel though? When they had did the study on him and his sisters none of this had popped up. … Then again, when it came to the Hybrid's the two genders showed many different things, the females stronger and faster than the males were, especially when on a carnivorous diet. But it was possibly that the women were empathic, he'd never thought of testing Renesmee on that, and something like that wouldn't show up on the autopsy table either.

If it was true then, that would mean that Bella had still been in love with Jacob when she had been pregnant with Renesmee. What of the imprint though? The theory was that they needed to imprint with someone that was capable of continuing the gene. It was possible that Renesmee did carry the gene though, but if she was in actuality empathic, what if when he imprinted she remembered the feelings that Bella had held for him while she was pregnant and it was truly that, that Jacob had imprinted on instead. It had to be, before she was even born Renesmee could differentiate the people who were talking to her, knowing each one of their names and voices by the time she was out of Bella's womb, and with a perfect memory like hers and perfect recall it was the only logical answer.

…. That would mean that Jacob had imprinted on the last human piece of Bella though.

This would surely crush Jacob and Edward.

"Hey do you know of any good restaurants?" Renesmee asked as she stuffed more bags into the trunk of the small car, it was interesting how many people actually drove Mini Coups in Italy; she didn't think much on it though.

"Yeah there's one down the street." Caprice said as they walked away from the car.

As they walked into the restaurant the host greeted them with a smile on her face. "Il buono benvenuto di pomeriggio a Quattro Leoni, sarà appena il due di lei?" She said.

Renesmee smiled as she replied. "Sì."

They followed the hosts into the restaurant and she walked them to a table outside right next to the railings. "Un cameriere sarà con lei brevemente." The girl said before she left.

"You speak Italian?" Caprice asked as she looked over her menu.

"Yeah, I wanted to come to Italy for a class fieldtrip a couple years back and I studied the language, but in the end my parents said no." Renesmee replied.

Caprice nodded her head and Renesmee began to ask a question she'd been wondering the whole day. "So tell me, how does one get a job with the Volturi, I mean I'm sure they don't put help wanted ads in the paper."

It was then a waiter came up to them and asked for their drinks. "Sì avrò un Limoncello." Renesmee said as she turned to Caprice to hear her order. "Avrò il Punzone UN Champagne di La."

The waiter looked between the two of them as he asked them if they wanted any appetizers. "Farà lei ordina qualunque antipasti dopopranzo."

Renesmee looked down at the menu and skimmed it quickly till she found what she wanted. "Sì, avrò il Bertolli Bruschetta."

"E lei manca?" The waiter asked as he turned to Caprice, she waved her hand softly as she spoke. "No ciò sarà tutto il ringraziamento lei."

"Molto bene poi, sarò di ritorno con le sue bevande in un momento." The waiter said before he turned and walked off with their orders. Renesmee turned back to her as she went back to her conversation. "You were saying?"

Caprice smiled softly at that as she answered. "When I moved her I just barely graduated from University, and since I never worked a day in my life no one would hire me, in the end I got a job at this not so extravagant bar, and one day I come in and I find a new flyer up. They were looking for a secretary and there was no need for experience. I was nineteen by then working in a rundown bar for really crappy pay so I thought what the hell and I scheduled an interview. I landed the day time position, and with it came really great benefits."

"Wait so you aren't from Volterra?"

"No, I'm from Sicily … My grandfather lives in Volterra though and he's unwell so I decided after school that I would move here and help out, it was a bit difficult at first but then I got this job and now I can actually pay for the treatments he needs and still live a comfortable lifestyle without worrying about it."

" … Oh that's very interesting." Renesmee said truly amazed at how the beautiful human had given up a life of her own to care for her grandfather.  
Caprice laughed softly at that and Renesmee looked at her questioningly. "Not really, accordingly, I must have impressed one of the big guys as Drew calls them because they had been close to rejecting me."

"So do you plan on staying here in Italy or will you be going back to Sicily?"

Once again their conversation had to be paused as the waiter came back with their dinks and Renesmees' dish. He placed them down on the table carefully and pulled out his pen and pad ready to take more orders from then.

"La sono le signore pronte a ordinare o lei avrà bisogno di più tempo?" He asked.

Renesmee pulled up her menu again as she looked through her menu not listening as Caprice ordered her meal. She was taken away from the menu as the waiter spoke to her "E per lei manca?"

"Oh sì amerei il Pesce spada un Siciliana di la e Polenta con la Salsa al pomodoro come un lato e se lei potrebbe coprire il Polenta con alcuni parmigiano." Renesmee said as she handed the menu to the waiter.

"Farebbe che è tutto il colpo mancato?" The waiter asked.

"Sì." Renesmee said as she turned her attention back to Caprice while the waiter went back to the kitchens.

"No, maybe I never really thought about it, my only family is here so I might as well be too. What about you, I can tell that you are not from Italy at all, you sound American." Caprice said.

"I am; I'm from Washington though me and my family move around a lot due to my father's job." Renesmee said smoothly, it was a simple cover her and the others used for question such as this.

"I see, and what are you doing here in Volterra, I mean it's not exactly a famous spot like Rome and Florence are."

"My family and I didn't exactly agree on some things and since I'm eighteen I decided to leave, I figured they wouldn't bother to look here seeing as they really don't like Italy very much."

"And the Volturi are what to you? From what I can tell so far it's obvious that you're high on the food chain seeing as Afton has me running around changing all sorts of schedules and other stuff since you arrived, which never happens when someone comes in to see them." Caprice said.

Perhaps the girl didn't know what she was working for. "Aro is my granduncle; he offered to let me stay here with him for the time being."

"Aro!" Caprice said shocked with wide eyes.

"Yes Aro."

"So you're a Volturi as well." Caprice said.

Renesmee nearly choked on her food at the question, taking a deep breath she looked up at the other woman wanting to laugh at the concept of her being in the Volturi.

"No …. His sister married my grandfather." Renesmee said hesitantly saying the first thing that popped into her head.

"Really, I can't believe he's that old, he doesn't even look a day over fifty." Caprice replied.

"Yeah …. It's genetics, we all age slowly." She replied before she took a good gulp from her drink, though it was no use she could drink a hundred of them and still not get drunk.

"Obviously you don't even look eighteen."

Renesmee smiled at that before she went back to her food, it was weird for her calling the people that had tried to annihilate her and her family. It was necessary still, something she'd been taught since she was a child was to always have a cover story, people would question why so many people that were young or not even related living together, and questions for a coven of vampires posing as humans was not good, people would begin to uncover the truth, and the truth would be the death of them if the Volturi had any say in it. That's why when humans ask questions she tells them that she'd been adopted, and that her father is her older brother, her mother and her aunt Alice are half sisters – it was a proven fact that they nearly looked alike so they called themselves that. While Rosalie and Jasper were twins, and Emmett was well, he was solo. Her father, Emmett and herself were the only ones who went by Cullen when in the presence of humans, Rosalie and Jasper still went by Rosalie's' human name Hale. While Alice and her mom took on the Mason surname; to many people questioned why they all took the name Cullen so they decided that others would take different names and it was how they ended up with the different names and split up.

Even Seth and Leah took on different names since they'd stopped aging as well; both now went by Black when in the presence of humans.

It was weird that today at this moment she would have been taken on the name Black as well, Renesmee Carlie Mason Black …. It didn't sound right, not to her at least.

She heard the waiter's footsteps from behind her and looked down at her plate, she'd finished it completely. Obviously she was hungrier than she had initially thought, the cons of being a half vampire, even if you satisfy your blood thirst doesn't mean you've satisfied your human needs and it also applied vice versa.

The waiter came and put down their place, his memory excellent as he gave them to the right person. Taking Renesmee's finished dish he spoke. "C'è nient'altro posso prenderla?"

Renesmee held up her glass as she replied. "Un altro Limoncello sarebbe bello."

"Un Limoncello e per lei la signorina farebbe lei cura di anche un altro ricambio?" The waiter said as he took her glass and turned to Caprice.

Caprice smiled as she responded "No sono il bel ringraziamento lei."

"Avrò ragione di nuovo con lei beve la signorina." The waiter said before he left them.

"What is that?" Caprice asked as she looked at Renesmees plate.

"Swordfish, have you ever tried swordfish, it's absolutely amazing." Renesmee said as she took a bite out of her food.

"It looks amazing." Caprice said as she began eating her food as well.

"So since your Aro's grandniece you know a lot about the others." Caprice said; her eyes sparkling with want of gossip.

"Not really, I mean I met some of the older ones when I was like a month old but the other ones I don't know." The brunette's eyebrow lifted with more unspoken questions and she continued. "I mean, they stay here in Italy and my parents and Aro don't exactly see eye to eye, so I was never allowed to come here, and because of that I don't know any of the others, heard of them, never meet them though. … Not that I can actually remember because like I said I was like a month old when they came to see me." Well she hoped that was understandable and human like.

"Your parents refused to allow you to come here, to Italy, the entire country just because of a feud between your families."

"Pretty much … My mother has a fear that I'll pick up some bad habits from him, though, I already picked some up from my cousins Vladimir and Stephen, but supposedly my granduncle is even worse than my cousins. ... Supposedly though, I can't actually really say, they seem about the same when it comes to their moralities and beliefs. … Kinda, sorta, okay not really but really their all equal in the badass terms."

"So does that mean you're related to Jane & Alec?"

Oh how she wanted to laugh at the ridiculous question. Jane and her related that would never happen, she felt bad for Jane's brother Alec, how he put up with such an evil little person was a question to her. Then again she did remember her mother claiming that Alec was just as evil, more so he was more controlled about it than anything.

"No …. I think my father told me once that Aro took them in when they were younger."

"So … he'd adopted them all?" Caprice asked carefully.

"I guess … I don't know I don't really keep track of that stuff." Renesmee replied as she took another bite out of her meal.

Gulping down the piece of meat she continued. "It wouldn't surprise me much though, my grandfather does the same thing, all of my aunts and uncles were adopted other than my father. All four of my father's siblings were adopted, and he even took in two other's some years back when I was younger."

"That's different ... Did your father adopt you as well?"

"No, no he's my father through flesh and blood all the way, same with my mom as well."

It was silent after that but comfortable as they ate their meals. Renesmees' mind traveling to her home, her family once again, she knew that deep down she was being selfish, she was being foolish, but it didn't matter, they were also being overprotective and selfish as well, most of them at least.

Pushing open the large double doors to Marcus' personal library, Alec looked around the room to find said man looking out of the large windows, staring at the large and bright moon.

"Tomorrows moon will be full." Marcus said quietly.

"I can see that." Alec replied softly.

"How is Jane doing, I was told that Aro had her take some time off to calm down."

"She's been better; the brake in her leg was clean so she won't be complaining of any fragments hurting her."

It was quiet in the room and Alec contemplated leaving then, but he was stopped at the sound of Marcus' voice. " … Do you believe Aro made a wise decision in allowing the Cullen to stay with us?"

He was unsure how to answer the question, he could be honest and blunt, though it wouldn't be wise, or he could tell Marcus what he wanted to hear, making him seem weak in his own thoughts.

It was a trick question, it must have been, and he'd have to dance around his answer to see what Marcus was expecting from him to say on the matter.

"Renesmee Cullen, I found it odd that she came here right when the rest of our people have begun to rebel against our laws, taking stands against us. Her family should be disciplined for their instigation … Though I must also say that regardless of all the trouble they caused I'm glad it happened, I've never seen Aro nor Caius as happy and active since then, so perhaps all the chaos can be seen as a good thing, it's a breath of fresh air for the two of them. For that reason I can understand why Aro has allowed the young Cullen to reside here, Aro might see Miss. Cullen's desertion as a way to bring more chaos which would bring more crime and punishment." Alec said.

Marcus nodded his head as he replied. "But what do you think about it? Do you believe this will end badly for us or her? Or do you believe that we are all going to be rewarded?"

The situation was confusing, was it a trap or were they truly trying to get his idea on the matter.  
"Off the record of course." Marcus continued on.

If that was the case then there was no need to keep his thoughts secret, Marcus always meant what he said.

"Off the record ….. I don't know what to make of the matter; we don't know anything about this girl other than what she is and who her family is, besides Aro of course, your brother knows her just as well as the rest of us." Alec replied.

And it was true. Who could actually say that this girl was anything like her family, who said she wasn't someone who just wanted to cause trouble? Aro knew this too, knew what she was doing here and what he wanted from her from the moment he asked her to stay.

Renesmee smiled happily as she walked into the lobby area, the night was young and the moon was high and glowing, her hands were filled with boxes of clothes and shoes, while both her arms were covered with the handles of bags, life was good, and it was even better that she placed clothes in other bags in order to get rid of all the bags she had on her, to many and she'd never be able to see where she was going.

Walking up to the elevator she pressed the button and watched as the doors opened. They closed and she listened to the music, it was odd, she couldn't imagine her mother and father in the very same elevator with Jane, Felix and Demetri. The elevator stopped and Renesmee looked at the top to see that she was only a couple of floors down from her own. She sighed and watched as the doors dinged open revealing the most angelic looking person she'd ever seen.

He was tall, nothing like Demetri, but tall nonetheless, with short brown hair, and messy bangs, his lips were full and red, his skin pale and perfect, and his eyes, dark and red with bags beneath them.

He was perfect. Perfect in a way that she knew deep down was not a good thing, perfect in the most dangerous way and perfect in the most hypnotizing way. Her mind was screaming at her to drop everything and run and hide and at the same time those ruby gems of his were luring her in and she couldn't help but want to fix everything that was wrong with him and make the all his problems go away.

He took to stand next to her a smirk growing on his face as he looked at her and her bags and boxes of clothes and shoes.

"Shopping?" He asked.

His voice, that voice of his. _'Oh his voice.'_ Renesmee thought to herself. It was a bit scratchy, but still so beautiful, strong, youthful and unique.

She smirked back at him as she replied haughtily. "I just reinvented the term 'shop till you drop.'"

**Back to the story at hand.**

**Poll will Be up for another two weeks, please take it and help me out .. or you can just email your choice. Either one works with me.**

**Lady Grimshaw.**


	3. Arise

'_Arise & be all that you dreamed … all that you dreamed.'_

_-_

_Flyleaf_

* * *

A cold breeze slid beneath the sheets of the bed and Renesmee grabbed at them wrapping them tighter around her. Another sliver of that coldness and she threw her blankets off of her, turning to her laptop on the side table she pressed the power button waiting for it to lite the room. It didn't take long and she was finding that it was already four in the morning. Yawning she grabbed her laptop and moved into the sitting area, plopping down onto the couch. Her hand reached onto the platform and picked up the remote observing it she pressed one of the buttons on the top and watched as the lights switched on. She sighed as she looked down at her laptop, she opened her contact list and pressed on Alice, quickly pressing the numbers down, and rereading them making sure it was the correct numbers.

(9'13) (19-1-6-5)

Pressing send she closed her laptop and put it on the platform. Stretching she stood up and made her way to the bathroom.

* * *

**Ding!**

Alice turned to the coffee table and looked at her lite up phone, alerting her of an email. Picking up her phone she tapped the mail symbol app. lightly, automatically opening her inbox. Her eyes widened animatedly as she saw the sender and she screamed. "JASPER!" Immediately her husband was at her side.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Renesmee sent us something" Alice chirped as she showed him her inbox.

"What did it say?" He asked as he took a seat next to her on the couch.

Alice shrugged her shoulders softly as she pushed on the screen again and looked at the message.

(9'13) (19-1-6-5)

_I'm Safe_

Alice smiled as she looked at the numbers. "She found a safe spot." Alice said as she showed Jasper the coded message. Alice smiled happily at the thought that Renesmee never forgot the secret code they made up so that Edward wouldn't look at the email or the notes they shared between each other so long ago, a father shouldn't know and hear everything going on in his daughters head.

"Are you going to reply?" Jasper asked bringing her out of her reminiscing.

"No … Edwards probably got spy-wear in here …. As well as most likely that's the last message we'll get until she deletes the account and makes a new one."

"What do we do then?" Jasper asked.

"Nothing." Alice said as she went back to her lounging on the couch.

* * *

Renesmee stared at herself through the mirror; it was a new day, a new world, a new life. She needed to be the person she wanted to be now, she needed to be the person she dreamed of being, the true person and not the person she was for her family.

She loved her parents, but she couldn't just be a doll anymore, she was real flesh and blood, a real person. She was a woman, a woman that needed freedom a woman that yearned for truth and not the fairytale she'd been living.

Taking a deep breath as she walked over to the closet door dropping her towel to the floor as she did so, walking into the now fully stocked closet, or for her mom, overly stocked closet she went to the dresser in the middle and opened the top drawer revealing all the bras she'd bought and organized yesterday pulling out a black bra opening another under it and pulling out the matching cheekys.

Slipping into them she walked over the one side of the closet that was filled with tops and pulled out black top slipping it on as she did so before she moved to the other and pulled out a pair of black jeans and quickly slipped into them. Moving to the back of the closet she looked at all the shoes she'd bough yesterday trying to figure out which ones to wear.

* * *

"Who do you think he's going to send to get her?"

Alec turned to Demetri and shrugged his shoulders in a reply. He watched as Demetri leaned back in the chair, placing his feet on the desk.

"You should put your feet down before Caprice comes in and reprimands you for your abuse towards her desk." Alec said quietly.

Demetri waved him off with a hand before he began speaking again. "I still can't believe she said no to me." He said.

" … I mean, I'm me, no one has ever rejected me …. And she called me a womanizer of all things." He continued.

"She must have good taste in men." Alec teased.

Demetri glared at him. "Don't start with me Alec I'm not in the mood to play with you." He said

Alec grinned mischievously at the blonde as he spoke. "Your mad because you know deep down you can't have her … don't cry about it, she's merely a child."

"A child that's half vampire, half human with a pulse and a sweet scent wrapped around her and a pretty face to top it off." Demetri said.

"You & Felix are so easy for humans."

"She's a halfbreed!" Demetri corrected.

"With human in her." Alec said.

"And Vampire! How many halfbreeds are out there that are actually female and pretty, and a virgin?!"

Alec's grin widened as he spoke. "That's why you're moping, because she's a virgin?"

"And a halfbreed." Demetri repeated.

"And a Cullen." Alec pointed out.

"So?" Demetri replied in a haughty voice.

Alec sighed. "So she's a Cullen, you should be more surprised about the fact that she's actually here … without her family. You must remember that Isabella Cullen's fear of us was passed on to her vampire life and intensified as well, and Edward Cullen listens and follows his wife's every command like a good dog, I have no doubt in my mind that the two of them slandered our covens name in order to protect their daughter and keep her from coming here."

"It obviously didn't work." Demetri as he waved his hand up to the bedrooms.

"Look at the century she's from Demetri, she probably never listened to them, like all these other children."

" … Still there's something terribly wrong with that girl." Demetri said.

"What girl?" A female voice asked and Demetri stiffened in his place as he stared at Alec who grinned madly at him.

He placed a charming smile on his face and spun around to face their human secretary. "Caprice!" He said shocked.

Alec watched as Demetri was scolded by a human, wondering how she constantly was able to creep up on them like that; he didn't even notice she had arrived until she was standing directly behind Demetri. So much potential in her and yet there was so much life in her, thus the reason why Aro didn't want to turn her and gave her the job, making sure that everyone kept the secret from her. She was nice and unlike the last few secretaries they had she was actually here to work and not mess around or uncover any secrets for the public. She was a breath of fresh air in the world of fakes and pollutants that they lived amongst.

" … So Caprice darling how was your day yesterday, I understand that you were with Renesmee all day." Demetri said. Alec turned and listened, he'd seen her yesterday in the elevator.

He'd been on his way back from speaking with Marcus when he'd got an order from Renata to see Jane downstairs.

_He'd stopped at the elevator and noticed that it was heading up as he pushed down on the button. It dinged before opening the doors and it revealed the girl from earlier, the Cullen's daughter._

_He'd be honest and say she was indeed was really attractive, and she wasn't even dressed up as it was. She wore a black sweat suit, and her shoulder length hair was down and straight. She stared back and observed him herself, and he wondered what exactly she was thinking of him. Moving into the metal box he pressed a button and stood next to her and all her bags and boxes of what he could assume was clothing. He smirked at her as he spoke finally._

"_Shopping?" It was so typical of a female of either species to stop everything and spend an entire day shopping._

_She smirked back at him and he couldn't help but think it was cute on her. Her voice came out haughty as she replied. "I just reinvented the term 'shop till you drop.'" _

_He laughed softly at that and she tilted her head in obvious confusion. "Do I amuse you in some way?" She asked her voice now quiet but rang quiet nicely in his ears. It was a beautiful voice, just as he'd heard from the others, supposedly when they'd brought her in she didn't say anything for the longest time._

"_The female population amuses me." He answered softly._

"_And all genders annoy me." She rebuked._

_Turning to her he introduced himself properly. "Alec del Volturi." _

"_Renesmee Cullen … I'd shake your hand … though that wouldn't be such a great idea seeing as I don't want you seeing my thoughts." She said._

"_I understand I was told of your ability, you can show your thoughts, replay them and create illusion with a single touch correct."_

"_Word travels fasts around here." Renesmee replied._

"_No, just remembered Aro talking about it after we came back from Forks."_

" …… _Right. I was told of your ability as well, and I've been a victim of your sisters just recently."_

"_And you've also copied her ability."_

"_It's not as if it wasn't coming at her."_

"_True." Alec said as he inclined his head. She was shorter than him by ten inches at the most, and five inches shorter than Jane, making her probably four ten exactly._

_The elevator dinged and the doors opened instantly, she turned her eyes to him and spoke. "It was nice meeting you Alec Del Volturi." She said before she walked out with all her stuff._

"_You as well Renesmee Cullen." He replied as he watched her walk away while the doors began to close watching as Afton walked up to her and began talking to her._

She'd given him small talk, but it was indeed an interesting small talk, she was indeed going to bring some sort of entertainment to Aro.

"Renesmee is such a sweetheart, every store we went to she bought me an outfit … do you know how many stores we went to?!"

"Around thirty." Alec said carefully trying to remember all the names on the bags and boxes Renesmee had been carrying.

" …. Exactly! Now I have thirty new outfits!" Caprice said giddily and hesitantly.

"How'd you know that?" Demetri asked as he allowed Caprice to push him off the chair. "I saw her when she came back, we talked a bit." Alec replied.

"You saw her, Where? I didn't even see her come back and I stayed _'up'_ with Drue all night to catch her." Demetri said.

"We shared the elevator." Alec said with a smirk enjoying the fact that Demetri was becoming jealous of him.

"And?" Demetri pushed for more information.

"And I introduced myself to her and she introduced herself to me, then we had a short conversation, then she got off and I waited then got off on the top floor." Alec said.

Demetri glowered at him. "So what were you talking about?" Demetri pushed more.

"Small talk." Alec replied with his smirk higher on his face, it was so fun teasing Demetri, especially with something like this.

He turned to look behind him and watched as Felix and Jane came out of the elevator and walked over to them.

"Good Morning Jane, Felix." Caprice greeted cheerfully.

"Good Morning Caprice." Jane replied softly.

"Mornin' Caprice." Felix said.

"Jane, Alec was flirting with the Cullen girl." Demetri said quickly.

Alec glared at the blonde before he turned to his seething sister. "Is this true?" She asked.

He opened his mouth to speak only to be saved by Caprice. "No he wasn't flirting with Renesmee, Demetri is only jealous because he didn't get to have some time with her."

Alec nodded his head in thanks to the human, smirking as he watched Demetri get swatted by clip board by said human.

"Caprice where's the schedule for today?" Jane asked as she skimmed the contents of the desk.

Caprice pointed to the trash can and Jane picked up a coffee stained schedule. "Am I to guess Demetri that while you were waiting for Renesmee that you dropped someone's drink?" Caprice asked as she glared at the blonde.

"Can't you just print another one?" Demetri asked quickly changing the subject.

"I was off yesterday, Afton sent it to Drue not me, I don't have any of her passwords idiota." Caprice said.

Alec watched as Janes ears began to steam animatedly while she glared at Demetri. The reason Caprice could speak to Jane the way she was, was because she was professional when it came to her job. She always had everything ready and prepared before any of them came down for shifts. Never in her entire time here did Caprice ever not have everything Jane asked for, this was a first but it was obvious that Jane didn't blame her.

"Let me just email Afton and explain the situation." Caprice said.

"Yes that sounds like a good plan." Felix said as he got between Jane and Demetri before she did something she would regret.

"So other than Renesmee buying you thirty outfits what else did Renesmee do?" Demetri asked.

"Spoke really good Italian, and had quiet a few alcoholic drinks." Caprice replied.

"Did she talk about us?" Demetri asked.

"She better not have." Jane said.

"She didn't talk about you …. Did you know her parents forbid her from coming to Italy, like the entire country letteralmente all because of some family contesa between your families?"

"Yes her family believes themselves to be saints and us sinners." Jane said.

"What makes them think such things?" Caprice asked softly as she waited for a reply.

"Her family is nothing but spoiled brats that's why." Jane said.

"You've meet them?" Caprice asked.

"A few times." Jane replied.

"Renesmee doesn't seem like such a marmocchio, she's actually quiet sweet don't you think?" Caprice asked.

Jane growled under her breath as she replied. "She's the worst of them all."

"She's very stuck up as well." Demetri added.

"Demetri I don't want to hear another word from you, especially you, who stayed after shift just to talk to her." Caprice berated.

"She's denied me." Demetri shrugged.

"Because she obviously has a brain. …. Though I'm never allowing her to drive ever again, how she got a drivers license is beyond me." Caprice replied.

"Ladies, gentlemen." Afton greeted as he walked out of the throne room and up to them.

"I understand someone destroyed the last schedule." Afton continued as he looked towards Demetri.

"We're behind schedule." Jane said as she also glared at Demetri.

"Yes, I can see that, Caprice I've just sent you the schedule, did Drue complete the call logs last night?" Afton asked as he turned to Caprice who typed away at the computer. "Yes she did since we're behind schedule it doesn't truly matter if I print them first." She said as she waited for them to finish.

"Does anyone know if Miss. Cullen is ready yet?" Afton asked.

"Sorry haven't seen her since I showed her to her room." Felix replied.

"Never mind, Caprice have her give these to me when she comes down-

-Already putting the girl to work Afton?" Felix asked.

"Not it's faster this way Aro wishes to speak with everyone immediately. If she's not down in fifteen minutes Caprice please have one of the other employees' get her she's taken residence in Sirena della Signora." Afton called as he ushered everyone out of the lobby.

The doors to the Throne Room opened and Alec & Jane took their respective places on the side of the three ancients. Aro looked at everyone before he stood to talk.

"Children. I have asked you all here because yesterday night a visitor came to me." Aro said.

Alec lifted a brow he'd been expecting Aro to speak of Renesmee Cullen and probably give them a lecture about not harming her, this though he wasn't expecting.

"Giving me a warning of a great downfall and the betrayal amongst the Counsel of Eden." He said with the widest smile he'd ever given, he continued on as if a happy child given a large bucket of chocolate. "With this betrayal will come war amungst our kind, and many will be forced to choose a side ... though no matter we will come out victorious. That is why I've called you here." Aro said as he walked back to his throne and sat down leaning forward as he continued with his talk. "Anyone here that chooses the Counsel over us will see no mercy from me, no matter who you are and no matter how fast and far you run we will find you." He finished with a smile on his face.

Alec blinked, a vampire war was coming to the twenty-first century. What would the humans do this time? It had been so easy to cover up the last few wars in the old days, especially the old world wars. The last war was the Southern Wars and that was even easier being as the humans were at war at the time as well. Now how were they going to play this out?

A nudge in his side and he looked up at Jane, she merely rolled her eyes at the thrones and he looked over to see that Aro had dismissed the all the other guards but his Elite.

"My children." Aro said as he looked at them all.

"Are we to understand that we will be able to trust that you will choose us over the Counsel?" Caius asked, his voice hard and demanding.

No one said anything and Caius continued on. "When this war is upon us, you are to bring forth all those that have betrayed us, and for this you will be awarded greatly."

"Jane." Aro called out and Alec turned to his sister questioningly.

"What will we be going to war for exactly? We've always believed that the Counsel never cared about such things." She said.

Aro looked at all of them, telling them silently that what he was about to say was to be kept amungst themselves. "Magic, something is happening with the magic in the air, and they do not wish for us to find out, so when we do find out, it'll be what will bring the Counsel one step closer to their demise."

* * *

Caprice sighed as she hung up the phone another threat and another name going to the morning list adding to already twenty and it was barely going to be sunrise in a few minutes, not to mention she'd just began her shift. Sorting threw her paper work on the desk she began to organize the calls by country.

A clicking of heels caught her attention and she looked up to find a stylized Renesmee walking towards her. Her breath caught in her throat and her hands abruptly stopped at the sight.

Even in the dark clothes she was absolutely beautiful, and as the sun began to shine through the small windows in the room she looked like an angel sent from heaven. As the sun beams danced upon her skin causing her to glow like a heavenly being.

Her bronzed colored hair was straightened and put back in a clip with a black and white poke-a-dot headband, her bangs hiding her forehead yet again. Clear and perfect snow white skin, her eyelids dusted with a gold eyeshadow and a thin line above her eyelashes in deep black, her lashes as well her long and black swept too. Her lips that juicy red she envied so much, and her cheeks the perfect pinched pink. She wore black a form fitting blazer that only buttoned in the middle revealing the sweetheart neckline shirt she wore beneath it that had a zipper in the very front. Pairing it with the same black colored straight legged pants and a pair of black platforms that gave the small beauty the right amount of height. And a white and silver studded belt along with a long thin gold chain that slid beneath her shirt.

"Good morning Caprice." Renesmee said as she walked over to her.

Caprice blinked as she forced herself out of the trance, she'd never been so entranced by a person before, other that Demetri of course.

"Good morning Renesmee." Caprice replied as she looked back down at her papers. Her eyes resting on the piece in front of her that Afton wanted.

"I know you didn't come to work here." Caprice began. "But Demetri messed everything up last night and now were behind, and could you give this too Jane she really needs it." Caprice continued as she held the parchment out for the other girl to take.

Renesmee took it from her as she stared at it warily. "Do I really have to give it too Jane?" She asked.

Caprice smiled at the fact that the two young girls had a mutual understanding of each other. "Felix, or even Alec will take it, just don't give Demetri, he might ruin it." Caprice said with her smile still in place.

"I can do that." Renesmee said as she started to walk away with a wave. Caprice watched as she walked down the large hall, and was stopped by one of the men at the doors.

Laughing lightly as she watched the guard himself mimic her earlier loss of brain waves.

* * *

Alec watched as Aro continued his pacing as he thought about something deeply.

"You're never going to figure it out on your own." Marcus said in a blasé tone as he lounged on his throne.

Their was footsteps outside the doors and they all whipped their heads to them watching as they opened to allow the person in.

And in they walked, and with every step and click of their heels, everything around Alec slowed down. Every persons attention on the appealing young halfbreed that walked into the room. He could hear a mumble of someone on his side and he turned to see Jane glaring at the younger girl. Demetri might as well have been drooling venom as he stared wide eyed at the new comer.

"Renesmee dear." Aro said as he stopped in his pacing and reached out for the Cullen she smiled softly at him as she placed her hands into his. "As always a beautiful sight to see." He said as before he closed his eyes.

She turned her attention to Jane and Alec watched as she sent a look filled with attitude, causing Jane to huff in anger, making Renesmee in return smile charmingly at her.

"I see your day yesterday was absolutely wonderful." Aro said as he let go of Renesmees hand.

Renesmee turned her attention back to Aro and smiled brightly at him. "Yes, your secretary kept me company, and she is quiet interesting as well."

"Then you can take her whenever you wish." Aro said. "Now come I would like to introduce you to someone." Aro said as he turned on his heels.

"Alec." Aro called.

Alec turned his attention back to Aro and was at his side instantly. "I want you to keep everyone out of the library today, and watch over the book as its moved there." Aro said.

"Of course may I be of service in any other way?" Alec asked.

"No your main priority is that book today." Aro said before he began to walk away.

Renesmee followed, pushing a piece of paper into his stomach as she did so. Giving him a mystifying stare as she walked away. She gave him a small and playful smile as he held her stare, and he couldn't help but wonder what was going through her head at the time once again.

He continued to watch as they used the back way out of the throne room her heels clicking loudly as they did so and it was then he noticed that she was a little more taller than the other day. She turned away from him after a while and continued to follow Aro silently.

"She's not going to disappear." A strong voice said.

Alec's eyes turned to Marcus who was smirking just a bit. "She looks like her father." Alec replied smoothly.

"No …. Edward Cullen is not good looking in anyway, Renesmee on the other hand is beautiful." A silky voice said.

Alec turned his head and watched as Heidi walked up to him.

"Schedule please." She said sweetly as she held her hand out.

Looking down at the parchment in his hands he lifted it up and found that it was indeed the schedule for the day. Alec handed it over to Heidi and she turned away from him and stopped when a thought obviously came to her.

"And if you hadn't noticed she was flirting with you in order to get under Janes skin." She said before she walked away.

He'd noticed, it wasn't hard to not understand.

"She can use me anytime." Demetri said finally coming out of his stupor.

"I doubt she will." Felix said.

"Demetri you have the sewers today." Heidi said as she looked over the schedule. Demetri frowned, Alec smiled, nobody liked the sewers, having heightened senses wasn't as great as it sounded when it came to having to be in a sewer.

"Children, if you're going to continue to bicker, leave the room .. now." Marcus said in a monotone voice.

For someone who seemed uninterested in everything, his emotions sure did change quiet quickly with each predicament.

Alec said nothing as he began to walk up the steps of the thrones, using the back way out of the room, the sun was up and despite the lack of windows with the front of the building there was enough to allow them to be revealed to Caprice.

Something Aro wasn't wanting.

* * *

Renesmees eyes widened at the two large hulking figures on each side of the large double doors before her. They were Asians, and they were all muscle, and they reminded her of Sumo wrestlers.

She never wanted to get on their bad side.

"Intimidating aren't they?" Aros voice rang through her ears and Renesmee turned to see Aro with a closed lip smile, he batted his lashes at her watching for her reaction.

She remembered how her mom would tell the story of her first meeting with the Volturi and always would stop and wonder out loud why he'd do it. As if he was trying to give of the persona of innocence despite being evil, and letting people know he was evil.

He'd done it earlier as well, and also when she'd first arrived.

"Why do you blink?" She asked.

Aro looked slightly taken back by the question but his smile grew more. "Why do you blink Renesmee?" He asked.

"I'm half human I'm going to blink unlike you who doesn't need to. So why do you blink?"

"Do you know how we lure humans here Renesmee?" Aro asked her as he turned to her.

She could remember asking her mother that same question when she first heard the story of how her parents meet the Volturi. She'd never given her an answer really, only said that the beautiful Heidi who's beauty could rival that of her aunt Rosalie's lured in the elderly with her violet colored eyes and above average beauty.

She shook her head. "Elderly come here in order to see a room of waxed figures, depicting those of the vampires that Saint Marcus had killed. ....You see centuries ago we were able to lure humans in with parties. Humans loved parties, and they all loved a chance to uncover our secrets that we carried. We were honey and the humans were bees, it was so easy to enamore someone back then, especially when night came. They couldn't care that we had eyes of demons, they were entranced by everything by us."

"Our scent, voice, breath and beauty attracts them, making us the perfect hunters." Renesmee said slightly in a daze remembering what her father once said.

"Exactly, and because of this, it was as I said easy to get them here. During these parties we threw, we had to act as humans to keep them enthralled with us, until it was time to feed. And we kept this routine going for many centuries."

"And your body got used to blinking?" Renesmee asked.

"Yes, I just wished it was as easy when it came to feeding as it did back then."

"Younger blood?" Renesmee asked.

"Yes, these older crowds that come aren't the best tasting as a young and lively human." Aro said with a sigh.

Renesmee found the conversation interesting, but knew that if she continued any longer she'd never meet the person that was behind the doors.

"Come, I'm sure they're anxious to meet you." Aro said as he walked up the steps .

"They're?" Renesmee asked.

Aro grinned at her. "Oh they'll adore you." He answered.

Renesmee prepared herself as he opened the doors and walked into the room, walking in after him she found that the rooms ceiling boards were much like her bedrooms except thinner and separated farther from each other, allowing in more sunlight. And the room held so many flowers in them that it was refreshing and beautiful.

"Aro darling." A dreamy voice called and she turned her head and watched as a beautiful pale woman walked up to them. She was tall and curvaceous her hips swaying with every step she took. She'd had an olive complexion when she was human this could be seen as her skin wasn't as pale as Aros nor the others. Her black hair was curled and put up some fell and framed her face perfectly. Her face was the most perfect thing in the world, heart shaped, smooth skin, appearing pore-less, her eyes were a sultry red surrounded by black liner and shadow, high cheekbones, a perfect small straight nose, and the smoothest lips she'd ever seen on a person with the right amount of pout to them, and painted a pinkish red.

She wore a deep purple v-neck dress that allowed her ample breast to pop from them, but hid most of them. The dress wrapped around her perfect figure and flowed at her hips to her calf's. She wore heels that clicked softy against the floors of the room.

She was the definition of gorgeous that was one thing that was for sure.

"Love." Aro replied as the tall vampress bent down a bit kissed the man softly.

Renesmee blinked several times trying to get the odd image out of her mind. "I would like to introduce you to Renesmee Cullen, you remember her right?" Aro said.

The woman turned to her and smiled softly at her as she walked towards her. Renesmee felt suddenly out of place with the gorgeous creature before her.

"They weren't lying when they said you'd blossomed into a beautiful flower. Right Athenodora." Sculpicia said.

"She looks so much like her father." A golden voice said from behind her. Renesmee jumped slightly as she turned to find a younger looking blonde behind her.

She was tall nothing like the brunette but tall and long with pale blonde hair, pale skin, just as perfect as the other woman's. Her almond eyes held her flirty red eyes nicely, her liner heavy at the top and light on the bottom, her lips a pouty pink that Renesmee could never get.

The blonde wore a draped water colored dress v-neck as well but not as heavy as the other vampires. It went down to her calves and was matched with black plumps. She was beautiful, nothing like the brunette but beautiful none the less.

The blonde smiled softly at her. "Do not worry you are not the only one who hasn't been able to hear me." She said

"Aro darling there's nothing more for you here, you can leave us now." Sculpicia said.

Aro left quickly and immediately she was left alone with the two women. "You scaring her Athenodora." Sculpicia said as she turned and began walking further into the room. "I can't help it, she's so big." Athenodora said as she followed.

Sculpicia stopped in her tracks and turned to her. "Renesmee are you coming?" She asked as she watched her.

Renesmee awkwardly followed not knowing what else to do. They came to a spot at the end of the room where a table was set up and she watched as the two women sat down. Sculpicia patted a chair next to her with a soft smile. "Come child, we won't bite." She said with a small laugh.

Renesmee did as told. Trying her best to remember where she'd heard the names before, coming up blank she turned to the brunette woman. "I've heard of you somewhere, but I don't know where or why." She said.

The woman laughed again as she replied. "You have most likely heard about me because of my husband." Sculpicia said.

It wasn't hard to connect the dots. "Aro is your husband." She said.

"Very much." Sculpicia said. "Which would make you Cauis' wife … right?" Renesmee asked as she turned to the blonde.

Athenodora nodded her head. "Correct you are Renesmee." She said.

"Wow." Renesmee said slightly shocked that she was meeting _the _wives."This is slightly unexpected." She said.

"What is?" Athenodora asked and Renesmee watched as her hand slightly twitched a bit.

"That I'm meeting the two of you." She said quietly.

"You're an interesting person Renesmee you should not be too surprised, besides we aren't that great of people as our husbands." Sculpicia said in a thick Italian accent.

"No … we're just a reader and gardener." Athenodora said with a sigh.

"Reader and gardener?" Renesmee asked.

"Well Aro won't allow just anyone to become a Volturi." Athenodora said.

"I am sure you have already noticed Renesmee that everyone here has an ability, or is more than your average vampire." Sculpicia said.

"You two have abilities." Renesmee answered.

Sculpicia turned around and picked an unbloomed flower. Renesmee watched as the bud began to grow and grow until finally it opened and opened, the water droplets giving the flower a more redder look to it. Sculpicia held the flower out to her. "It's a fire lily. Beautiful and Exotic .. Just like you." She said as she handed it to her.

"A gardener … you have the ability to force plants to grow."

"Something like that." Sculpicia replied.

Athenodora looked between the two before she spoke. "Let me see your hand." She said.

Renesmee gave the young looking vampire her free hand. "You read people like Aro?" Renesmee asked.

"No … I read emotions, past and present." Athenodora replied.

"I'm sorry I-"

"-Don't understand." Athenodora said as she looked up from Renesmee's palm. "There is always a reason why you feel an emotion, sometimes you understand the emotion and why it is there, sometimes you don not understand why you feel that way, or what the feeling even is, sometimes you can even confuse it for another emotion." She explained.

"Right now, your emotions are mixed and messy but the dominant emotions that are controlling you are curiosity and caution." Athenodora continued.

"But yesterday, I can see that you were relaxed and at ease, you felt comfortable and happy, before though you had been cautious and worry, angry and humiliated, relieved and curious, and even before that you were so angry, so very confused, so very sad, lost, and so very very tired, you wanted no more pretending, then you let everything out. Letting yourself be shown, you felt free and ready to take on anything." Athenodora said before she let go of Renesmees hand.

"That's amazing." Renesmee said.

"Thank you." Athenodora said.

They continued to talk about random things and Renesmee found herself enjoying their company.

* * *

_**Thank you all for your reviews and I do hope you enjoyed this chapter.**_

_**.Lady Grimshaw.  
**_

Imyourfreakingprincess = I was unsure if anyone was going to find it amusing, as well as the story needed a ending line.

ILeftMyselfInTexas

King Of The World500

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	4. Predictable Simple & Easy Flirting

**_Predictable Simple & Easy Flirting_**

* * *

Taking a deep breath of necessary air Renesmee relaxed as she stepped out of the green house where the two brides still continued on conversing without her.

Looking around the empty hall she found the two giant guards were still there; as she looked at them she took into notice how their skin was slight gray, like Vladimir and Stephan. An obvious sigh that they didn't move much and obviously had to ignore their vampire instincts to leave Volterra and travel the world like normal vampires did; in order to protect the two wives.

Hearing soft footsteps enter her hearing range she looked to the hall groaning mentally as she watched the tall, lean and reasonably good-looking blonde walk over to her with a smug look on his face.

Aro must have wanted to test her aggravation limits.

She didn't care to replace her frown as she watched him stop before her.

"Frowns don't work with that pretty face of yours you know." Demetri said as he stared at her with his bright red eyes.

Renesmee bit her tongue in order to keep her words from falling out and causing the man to become angered. Instead she decided she'd give him one of her best smiles she could muster that could always pass for a real one. She gasped as she found him in front of her quickly looking down at her; he was too close for her likings.

"Now that smile takes my breath away … Well it would if I had any in me." He said to her.

The guard before her was so transparent that it was pathetic; the urge to roll her eyes was just overwhelming. Demetri grabbed her hand as he continued to speak. "Oh how I could love you like no other."

Pulling her hand away she finally decided to end it. "Okay Casanova that's the first promise you and I both know you'll break. So please stop speaking because I'm not an idiot, I know how you vampires and men in general play games and when you're playing them. Not to mention the fact that you are very much too predictable for me." Renesmee said as she took a step back and away from the blonde.

Demetri smirked at her as he spoke. "A girl with a challenge, it seems I'll be enjoying this chase."

She rubbed her forehead. "That was not a challenge, so don't take it as one, and for heaven's sake will someone tell me what that horrendous smell is?"

Demetri's face contorted into an emotion unfitting as he began to speak in a tight voice.

"I was on patrol in the sewers."

" …. That's disgusting."

If he was capable of blushing Renesmee was positive his cheeks would be as red as a tomato. She couldn't help the smugness that came out as she spoke and she couldn't force the smirk down as he glared at her. "Now did Aro send you? Or did you just feel like annoying me?"

Demetri growled softly and she knew she'd hit a nerve.

"Aro sent me to escort you to the library, follow me." He said through gritted teeth, he spun on his heels quickly before walking away.

Had she not been half vampire she wouldn't have been able to see as he walked away. Holding back a snicker she followed his lead.

The hall they went through was an exact replica of all the others, marble, clean, cold. Light came in from the windows high above the walls where it was impossible for humans to reach without the help from a cherry picker or those window cleaning dolly's that she could never put a name to.

Renesmee stopped in her train of thoughts as they came upon an open room filled with vampires sitting on the cold marble. Looking further into the room she found that all of the vampires were sitting in a rectangle watching and observing as two other vampires fought.

"Those are the new recruits." Demetri's voice rang from her side.

Looking up at him she found that he was standing nearly on her and she took a step back as she spoke. "What are they doing?"

"Training, most of the recruits we get are standard vampires, so we have only the best fighter's from the elite train them in fighting." He replied simply.

"I thought Aro only recruited specials."

"Only for the elite guard, these are for the actual guard, the army that your family has probably told you about; these are the ones that come to us on their own free will."

"Wait so Aro has an army?" Renesmee asked skeptically as she looked back to the vampires in the room.

"Aro's not going to sacrifice _his _children in the first wave of war; these are just his pawns on his chest board, his sacrificial lambs. … Plus Aro loves war, he loves to watch the light that had been there when they were thinking they'd won … leave them."

She wanted to feel sympathy for them, she did really, but if what Demetri said was true, then they were the ones that allowed Aro to play god with their lives. Someone like that was hard to empathize with, especially when she'd heard the stories about the vile ruthful creatures they were said to be.

"Come on, Aro's not known for his patience." Demetri said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the open room.

Renesmee didn't resist her mind was lost at coming up with a reason why a person would want to become a monster, why someone would find joy in havoc.

Her mind in a whirlwind she barely had time to notice that Demetri was staring down at her again, so close to her that she could feel him breaking her personal bubble she'd created long ago.

"Do you always invade people's personal space?" She asked irate and slightly disturbed by the stare he was giving her. It gave her goose bumps in a way she'd not thought was possible.

"I can't help but wonder why Aro would want you as a companion … You're nothing but a child still, a very blind and overprotected child." Demetri said as he stared at her, she could not put a name to the feeling, she was being scrutinized, it wasn't a wonder why she was disturbed by the feeling he was giving her.

"Obviously not too childish since you want me." Renesmee quickly bit back.

"That's not what I mean … What I mean is that you've been sheltered your entire life, your diet has always consisted of animals and you've never left the safety gates that your parents have put up until now. You've got no knowledge of the world outside of what your family has allowed you to see and even then it's still has its limitations." Demetri explained.

Renesmee was at a loss for anything to say to him, he was right and he was leaving her speechless.

"There's something definitely wrong with this situation." She mumbled softly to herself, she knew though that he could hear her words.

"I'm just saying; I'm sure there's another vegetarian half breed virgin out there somewhere that has something to offer in return."

"Just stop talking." Renesmee said as she turned away and started walking down the imposing hall, she didn't know where she was going but she was sure that Demetri would eventually catch up to her and show her where to go.

She stopped in her tracks as she saw Demetri appear a few feet in front of her with that smug smile on. "I doubt though even if there was another like you, they wouldn't be as adorable."

Renesmee stared at him blankly as she replied smoothly and in an annoyed tone. "Seriously it's getting old, my boundary line for annoyance may be thick but you really know how to tick a girl off. If I may suggest, you should stop before you cross the line and make me mad."

They'd by now had gone towards a staircase leading further down the hidden palace. Their positions switched he was now at the top and she a few steps below him. He leaned on the banister towards her, and she saw that his whole body weight was pushed against the marble handrail, he didn't shake at all like she would, his body was graceful and she took into notice that the marble had a small crater where his palms were resting, too much dead weight for it … Literally.

He spoke softly the smugness gone replaced with absolute seriousness; his eyes sparkled though with a mischievous gleam.

"I'll stop when I have a good reason too."

"Why don't you write me a list of reasons you'd stop so we can end this before it gets out of hand and someone has to mediate." Renesmee retorted.

He was amused by her, she could see it in his eyes, she could feel the way the wheels in his mind were turning and she prepared herself for what he was to say next. When he spoke this time though she couldn't find anything disturbing in the words, there was no hidden message, no flirting, it was just a simple and serious complement and she was caught off guard.

"You're quiet the quick witted woman." He said.

She was stuck on what to say, he had purposely changed the mood, he was poking at her brain, trying to see how she ticked, and she couldn't allow that, she refused to allow him to win in their game of wits.

She needed to show him her true mind in order to win. It made absolutely no sense, but it was what would catch him off guard. Letting down the safety bubble she put up for herself, moving forward she leaned in so that their lips were millimeters apart and spoke in a teasing voice. "You know for a vampire, your flirting sure does come off as a humans." She pulled away as she felt him try to move closer to her and then growl at her with animal instincts that weren't sexual; she just dropped him even lower on his high totem pole, and he wanted her blood for that.

She tisked as she watched him get in a pouncing stance, might as well end the game now, it was fun for a moment but the moment was gone now.

"Careful there blondie … Aro just might have your head for killing his companion and his prior companions granddaughter. Now I think you were supposed to be taking me to see Aro."

Demetri was in front of her in the blink of an eye, she choked down the yelp that had bubbled up in her throat. "Don't put it to the challenge love … The outcome may not be in your favor."

She knew it too be true as well, there was a high possibility that Aro wouldn't care if she got killed by his men or not, by the way he'd allowed Jane to attack her in the throne room yesterday it looked as if Aro liked to watch his children play not caring of the consequences. If she actually really thought on it, the chances of Aro choosing her side over Demetri's or any of the others was actually slim to none, Aro knew them … He knew her too, hell he'd seen her whole life as well, but he actually didn't know her like he knew them.

Sighing she continued to walk down the staircase, rolling her eyes as she watched Demetri appear before her with his back to her, leading her to where she was suppose to go.

She didn't like the fact that he was right, why Aro would want her as a companion of all people? Relations or not, there was nothing special about her other than her being a half-breed and being a Cullen. Honestly being a Cullen was nothing amazing either, they moved a lot, drank from animals; which by the way she really didn't like from the very first moment he aunt fed her the human blood in the tin bottle she'd known what her preference was, but being a Cullen meant having a conscience. Then there was the fact that her family really did shelter her from anything and everything they could possibly think of.

Her favorite part about being a Cullen though, was that everyone had a mate and they all expected her to find her mate before she was twenty and get married and continue to go to highschool for two years and then graduate then continue the routine all over again.

Notice the sarcasm?

She bumped into Demetri's back and looked up at the same time he looked over his shoulder at her. She could have been hallucinating but she could swear that she could see a grayish color beyond the red. Noticing that he was glaring at her she backed away and apologized softly to him before realizing that he was still looking at her over his shoulder.

"What?" She asked

Demetri smirked at her as he spoke shaking his head as he did. "Nothing, I was just realizing that your eyes had a bit of a green to them, your mother had specks of blue in them … Before she was changed."

She hated that, people were always comparing her to her mother, if it wasn't one thing it was another, her extremely pale complexion she got that from her mother according to her grandmother Renee, because when Bella was younger her skin was so white she would have been confused for an albino. Her eyes were another thing, people always commented on her uniquely brown eyes, she couldn't get what was so special about them they were just brown.

Huffing in anger she looked at Demetri expectantly as she spoke. "So why did you just stop? I thought we were going to see Aro."

Demetri held his hands up in surrender as he replied to her anger. "Careful there love, don't go trying to kill me for no reason now I was just saying your eyes are different." He said.

"What? Wait … How did you know I was mad at that?" Renesmee asked as her mind tried to process all she knew of the infamous Volturi tracker.

His name was Demetri obviously, he was actually a brunette but the way his hair was done made it look like he was a dirty blonde. What she actually knew of him was very sparse when thinking about it, she knew he was a womanizer and that was it. What she had heard about him though was quite many things; she'd heard that her family minus her mother feared him when she was a child because he could locate anyone from where he stood no matter how many oceans were between him and the target. She'd heard that from her mother that he was good friends with Felix and was one of the many that Eleazar had found.

Other than that she realized she knew absolutely nothing about _him_.

She looked back at him and was taken by surprise by the smirk that was on his face. "I guess I've found another of your buttons."

"Don't flatter yourself." Renesmee said as she brushed pass him, Demetri was quick to catch up.

As they walked in silence Renesmee found herself staring at the architecture of the underground castle, everything was marble, everything was clean and pristine and she took to notice everything looked as if it belonged in a carnivorous vampire infested Castle Magazine… If there was such a magazine at least.

She bumped once again into Demetri's back and scrunched her nose up at annoyance as he turned back to her with a smirk once more. "If this is going to be a usual thing I'm sure I can get used to it soon."

"It wouldn't keep happening if you just gave me some sort of warning." She replied.

Someone in front of Demetri cleared their throat, and she stepped out from behind Demetri and found a young blonde man that had to have been turned between his early and mid twenties. "Demetri, Aro has asked for me to escort Miss. Cullen from here … Caius has requested you in his office."

With wavy neck length blonde hair that was parted to the side, wide ruby eyes, and full lips that were envy worthy, Renesmee was entranced by his beauty. His voice was soft and smooth, each word coming out perfectly correct and even in tone.

To her side she could see from the corner of her eye how Demetri's body was stiff as a board; he seemed reluctant to leave her with the blonde as if he didn't trust him at all.

Odd she thought that the Volturi were a close-knit coven, obviously she was mistaken.

Finally Demetri spoke his words hard his eyes narrowed slightly. "Very well then … Renesmee it's been a pleasure." His accent was thicker, more noticeable now, he turned to her and she watched as he made eye contact with her for a moment.

She felt it then, her mind being invaded with force, something slithering into her mind and touching a part of her mind that sent a wave of panic into her as a piece of her intuition was telling her to be careful with the blonde vampire.

Demetri looked away from her and then the feeling was gone.

She breathed out carefully as she scratched a side of her neck. "Miss. Cullen, if you'll follow me please." The blonde said as he turned away from her and began to walk down the hall again.

That didn't sound much like a plea but more like a command. She said nothing though as she followed the blonde, looking around the hall for anything she could use to defend herself with if need be.

There weren't many things, lots of paintings, but nothing that would take down a vampire.

She may have been able to take Jane on but something was telling her that the vampire in front of her was a lot more deadly. This scared her as Jane was deadly, a look from her could literally kill someone if she was really trying to kill them … She was thankful that Jane liked playing with her food before eating it.

She'd been told by her grandfather once that the reason Jane was so playful was because she was still considered half a child and half a women, she had been in-between when she was turned, nowadays people like that were considered young adults … or as more normal people would say teenagers.

Her mother and father were closer to adults when they were turned.

She felt her instincts kick in then and stopped walking just in time to watch him stop at an opening she walked closer and found him speaking in a foreign tongue she did not recognize with another vampire that she didn't notice, but she saw that he was dressed in the same attire as Demetri and the blonde, guards obviously.

The vampire was small with dark hair and had a dark chalky complexion and was tall and lean with short black dreadlocks and bright red eyes, high cheekbones and large full lips. As his eyes moved to her looking her over with analytical eyes, she'd only seen with Alice when they'd gone shopping for the perfect outfits for anything that needed the perfect outfit.

His voice was deep and smooth, accented as he spoke and the tenseness that had been there had been dissipated. "Miss. Cullen." He acknowledged before turning back to the blonde. "Corin you have been instructed to return to your rounds now. I'll take over from here."

There was nothing more said and she tensed as he walked passed her, the tall dark vampire took notice and waited for the vampire known as Corin to be out of hearing range before he spoke. "Miss. Cullen allow me to introduce myself I am Mykelti, as Felix will be away for today I have been appointed to be your personal guard and chaperone for today."

"Is there a reason why I need a guard?" She asked quickly.

"Aro just likes to make his guests happy." Mykelti replied.

"Right."

It was odd that she was being appointed a chaperone, she felt as if she was a child again and she wasn't allowed to go anywhere or do anything without Jacob or her father, too overprotective, life is pain, they should know that better than anyone.

"If you are worried about Corin-" Mykelti began and she quickly began to talk without even thinking her words through. "Why does he give me such a bad feeling … I mean, I've been around your type before and I've never felt so …" She didn't want to say the word but it seemed that a familiar voice from behind her seemed to know the words she didn't want to say.

"Frightened." Turning around she found herself not too many feet away from Jane's twin Alec.

He looked relaxed and bored at the same time and she wondered if that was what he usually looked like. "Mykelti, I must ask you to lock down this wing and only allow the elites to come and go, I'll call you when Miss Cullen wishes to be escorted back to her chambers."

With that Mykelti nodded before walking away and disappearing down the hall. Turning her attention back to the vampire that stood not too far away from her. "Miss. Cullen." He said as he nodded at her before walking into the open space that she found was a parlor room, following him into the room, she watched as he pulled the doors out from the sides, sliding them closed before turning back to her.

"Aro doesn't like certain things to be heard, and likes to muffle the sounds as much as possible." He replied.

Renesmee lifted a brow as she spoke. "You're not planning on murdering me are you?"

Alec seemed humored by this as he laughed softly while walking over to a black leather Victorian chair. "No, no, but if you would please sit, Aro will be a little longer than he'd expected himself." He said and it was then she took notice that he had an American accent.

" … Well since you don't plan on murdering me I guess I can sit and wait with you." She said as she took a seat on a chaise just across from him.

"And if I was planning to murder you what did you plan to do?" He asked more curious then threatening.

"Well obviously you're one of Aro's favorites and Jane's brother so I doubt I'd get anywhere by screaming for help … More so that would only help with any sort of blood lust you may have, so my only other option is to distract you until I can find a way out … or kill you." She replied.

He seemed intrigued with her answer and asked another question. "Clearly you pay attention … Although how exactly would you distract me? Obviously we don't know much about each other so you'd have to be quiet the clever little person to get me to divert my attention."

Renesmee had expected this and smiled as she replied. "You may be a full vampire, but your still a man and as I learned with Demetri, your still capable of going down for a second or two after a hard hit to the proper place … Then we shouldn't forget that I'm also half a vampire and that I'm not an average one and my ability could be quiet useful in such situations, I just need to touch you."

He seemed to understand her but he still wanted more conversation. "You need to get close to me do either, how do you know I'd let you come that close?"

"You're a vampire, personal space doesn't exist to you … And if you're going to murder someone you gonna want to get up and personal about it, especially if you're a vampire." She replied.

"So you win this round, I'll come up with something later to outsmart you in."

"So … about Corin." Renesmee began and Alec seemed to understand what she was saying. "Yes about Corin … I suggest that you try your best at avoiding him I'll recommend to Aro that we should have a guard with you at all times."

"Why? … I thought Volturi were loyal to each other."

Alec leaned back into the chair as he looked at her with a contemplative stare, his large red eyes seemed to be looking straight through her and calculating something as well. He sat back up and leaned closer to her then speaking in a soft tone. "I see no reason why you shouldn't be told now, Aro will tell you eventually about other things connected so you might as well know something."

Moving to the edge of the chaise she sat on she leaned closer to him and watched as he stiffened at her close proximity reminding her that she was still half human with her own blood and he was a carnivorous vampire. "Well I'm glad you see it that way, I don't like running blind."

"That is always a good thing, but if I must say I think you and your family have been running blind for quiet sometime now." He replied.

"I appreciate your honesty."

"Good." He replied as he leaned back just a bit from her, he hesitated for a moment before he began to tell her what was so bad about Corin. " … So as you said before you've been around vampires like us and never felt terrified like you had with Corin." He paused for a moment and she wondered if he decided to not tell her, her thought was thrown down the drain as he spoke more. "Corin isn't a normal vampire you see."

"His ability is the reason why he scares me?" She asked. Alec shook his head as he replied. "No, actually he's a normal vampire, but the reason why he's not considered normal is because of his creator." He stated. She took notice how he'd said creator, she'd been told that Alec and Jane considered Aro as their father, all the families she knew saw their makers more as father's minus her aunt Alice and uncle Jasper. "Corin was made by one of the ancients." He started again.

"Like you?" She asked.

"No … You and your family see Aro as an ancient because he is the oldest you've come across, though I doubt your grandfather Carlisle would say the same. You see the ancients are as old as the sun and moon … Well I know you've probably read about a million vampire stories because everyone has read a vampire story."

"Yes … Of course but what does that have to do with this."

"The ancients are the original vampires that you have read about although there are many similarities between us, they are like us cold skinned as a human would say, flushless skin, they have the same diets as us, the same abilities as us … Although they do not possess the ability to walk into the sun, they'd die if they were to walk into the sun minus that they are everything we are, same strengths same weaknesses. Corin is this, he's one of them … One of the originals that's why he scares you so much, you see the original vampires were so inhuman that a human would terror in fear from the aura of such demons, as a vampire they awaken a lot of the dormant human sides to us like the ability to fear, the ability to feel something more demonic than us. The Romanians were considered so strong because they killed off quite a few of them without flinching."

Renesmee took this in, she'd always wondered why there were so many stories about vampires and why they all seemed to minus the diamond skin, the authors had always come up with the concept that vampires were soulless and therefore creatures of the damned … Creatures of the night.

But still he hadn't given her a reason why she should take such precautions. "So … Do tell me … Why should I keep away from him?" Renesmee asked.

He leaned closer to her again and she took notice that he had a very potent scent, dark and musky and something she could only tell that belonged to a library, then there were undertones of floral and sweetness, the sweetness vampires were known to use to lull their prey.

"The ancients and us have been fighting wars for millenniums … He's been with us for some centuries now and the ancients didn't start laying low until he arrived. Caius believes he's a spy, Aro and Marcus agree and it wouldn't be good if you went and played with the enemy especially one like him."

"Would you miss me if I just disappeared?" She teased.

"I'd love to play with you but to be perfectly honest I'm more curious about what they'd do if they got a hold of a little thing like you."

She quirked her brow as she responded. "Why?"

He didn't seem like he was trying to scare her but was being truly honest with her … And that scared her. "They aren't human any more, they have the bodies of men like us but they know nothing of the desires and want of men. The last thing on their minds is sex and yet they'd be smart not to feed from you as they aren't sure what exactly you are and would want to find out."

She sighed and did notice from the corner of her eyes as he took notice of her breathing. "So, what is Corins ability? Aro would have never allowed him near the castle if there wasn't at least something he could get out of it." She asked.

"Smart little thing you are." He said with a smirk and she found that it wasn't scary in anyway and was more smug than anything else and looked perfect on him. "Corin has the ability to see fears and make the mind believe them to be real."

"No loopholes."

"Not unless you have no fears." He replied.

" … Or are a shield." She muttered to herself.

She could tell he'd never thought about it, and she realized then why Aro had a girl following him everywhere he went, she may have actually come off as a piece of him but she was a real human that might as well have been glued to the elder vampire.

"Enough talk about them, it's somewhat of a depressing topic." Alec said as he watched her every move as she leaned back into the chaise.

"Right … So what would you like to talk about?" She asked as she picked up a gold feathered dip pen, she couldn't quite think of where someone would get gold feathers, but she mused that if vampires were real; especially in three different forms, then why couldn't there be a gold feathered creature running about out there somewhere.

"I'm sure you've got tons of stories to tell, why don't you pick one of them?" Alec said, he seemed to be teasing her but she wasn't positive at the moment.

She wanted to snort at the thought that she had stories to tell from her eighteen years of being alive and living with her Cullen family. She went for another sigh as she answered softly. "I think you have more stories than I do."

"You're one of those girls aren't you?" He asked suddenly and she decided then to put the pen back from where she found it and sat back up in the chaise. "What kind of girl?" She asked honestly not knowing what he meant.

"The type who's parents give her everything." He said.

Was he accusing her of being a spoiled brat? The nerve of him thinking such things, it hurt her, not as much as she expected though; he didn't know a thing about her. Though with the lifestyle that her family lived and her being the only true daughter of the family one could see where he came up with the idea, she couldn't exactly blame him.

She wanted to laugh at such accusations but she didn't think it was an appropriate time to laugh, she didn't know him so there was no need to go and tell him her life story. Instead she decided to answer the only way she could think of. "It's quite the opposite actually."

He scrunched his brows together in question, wanting for her to answer she decided she definitely didn't need to tell him what was going on in her life.

A shudder ran down her spine and her ears twitched at the soft sounds of feet now far from where they were; her spidy senses were tingling. She could only guess one thing that could cause her to shudder like that. "Your sister and Aro are coming."

He seemed slightly taken back by the way she could hear them so easily, but the emotion was hidden quicker than she thought was capable and he spoke up. "Really I don't hear anything."

"My grandfather told me once that he realized that your senses have become worn-out because you don't use them anymore, unlike us who do have to use them if we don't want to starve to death … It would seem that he wasn't lying." Renesmee replied.

"Worn-out?"

"It was the only word that I could think of at the moment to use."

"So do you use everything that just pops into your mind?" Alec asked and it caught her off guard for a moment, but she wouldn't allow him to see. "Of course not … A lot of times I think before I act on anything." She replied.

Alec seemed to be more curious than mad about what she had been doing earlier in the morning. "So how long did you think about it before you decided to use me as a tool to get my sister mad?" He asked.

"If you're asking if I knew from the very moment we saw each other in the elevator that I was going to use you … Then I'm sorry to tell you I'm not that type of person, I didn't think about it till I saw her in the throne room ... Besides it was a onetime thing, I've found that using people isn't truly something I could pursue as part of a lifestyle … It doesn't fill right to me."

"So it was a onetime thing."

"Onetime only, if I really wanted to make Jane mad, it wouldn't take much to figure out what would set her off that isn't you."

"Do actually think you know how Jane thinks?" He asked, still he wasn't asking in a tone that was shocked or maddened or anything but curious, she wandered what made him so curious about what she said.

Then again, compared to him, she was still seen as a child.

"I may be young, but I'm not ignorant."

"I never said that."

"You thought it though."

He leaned in closer to her and she noticed how his red eyes slightly darkened, the bruises beneath his eyes though were darkening, giving away that he wasn't hungry. "What I think about you so far is still being pieced together."

She leaned in closer towards him as she replied. "Oh is that so?"

"I find that you're very perceptive, charming, highly intelligent and I say this because Aro doesn't like people that are anything less. I could call you naïve but you, Aro and I all know that you're nothing close to it despite how good you may act it. I can say you have secrets that haven't been unleashed on the world yet. I'd say you're brave for coming here on your own, smart even seeing as you've runaway from your family for reasons unknown to me still." He said and she decided that she needed cut him off before he got closer, he hadn't been in the throne room when her whole life and reasoning's had been exposed and exploited for nearly the entire coven, she needed to stay somewhat of a mystery to some people.

She spoke in a playful tone. "Get out of my head … You're not allowed in there till I say so."

He laughed and she found he had a nice laugh, nothing scary or too booming. "You're adorable." He said when he'd found his voice again only to continue on. "So we now know what I think of you what do you think of me Miss. Cullen?"

Now she could say many things on this, but since he'd decided to get into her head she'd return the favor.

"What I think is that compared to you … Jane is actually the nicer of you two … I say this because despite your act to be civilized you are the one that no one will see coming if you decided to attack, your obviously highly intelligent to a point that it could get you into a lot of trouble. You and your sister share a close friendship because of the fact that you've been around each other for many centuries now. I know there's a very quiet, even subtle confidence about you."

"Subtle huh?" Alec asked as he moved closer to her,

"Yes subtle, much like your flirting." Renesmee replied with a small smile.

There were so close she could see all of the pores on his smooth skin, the black flakes in his otherwise ruby colored eyes, every strand of his long and dark brown lower eyelashes.

"You've caught on."

"You do know that flirting is the first sign of attraction right? Now I wonder what would you lovely sister think if she found out that you were slightly attracted to me?"

"I could say the same now, what would your family say when they found out you were slightly attracted to me?"

"Touché"

"You know there not that far now … I can hear them."

"I've been hearing them."

"They're close now."

"So close that I can smell the shampoo your sister uses."

"I've been smelling the shampoo you use, vanilla and sandalwood, with cardamom, freesia, and quince mixed into it."

She lifted her brow, they were flirting in the weirdest way she'd ever flirted with a person, the tension in the room was thick and she felt as if he was going to pounce on her at any moment. The quietness that had taken over the room was comforting and as she shyly turned away from him she was glad that she learned quickly how to hide her blush at an early age. His red eyes moved with her and she found that it wasn't a creepy stare or a hungry stare either.

This was just straight and simple physical attraction.

For the longest she'd wondered what it had felt like and now she knew and it didn't feel like the end of the world was coming or love at first sight, no crush, just attraction, simple and easy.

The doors were quickly slid open and they turned their attention to watch as Jane and Aro filed into the room along with the human accessory who she still didn't know the name to.

"Ah Alec, Renesmee, so glad to see the two of you." Aro said as he walked closer to them and they heard Jane snort loudly.

As Aro reprimanded Jane, Renesmee and Alec stood up from their positions, no jumping away from each other just standing up and waiting for Aro to come back to them silently. When Aro turned back to them he took Renesmee's hand in his again and she found that he rather liked looking into her memories and mind.

"So glad Alec here could keep you company my dear." He said as he pulled away, she replied with the only thing she had left in her mind that he hadn't seen. "He is very different from what I had perceived."

"Isn't he?" Aro asked with a slight grin on his face, it wasn't a teasing or knowing grin just a grin that implied he understood what she had meant.

"Now I must apologize my dear for keeping you waiting but being in a position like mine means something is always happening that needs to be taken care of." He said as he took her arm in his own and walked her towards more double doors in the room.

"No need to apologize, I don't expect you to be able to give me your full attention." Renesmee said as she was pulled along and watched as Jane and Alec opened the double doors for them.

"So sweet and understanding you are my dear, now there's something I would love to show you." Aro said as they walked into the room

* * *

_**Wow that took way longer than I had anticipated … Oh yeah and guess what …**_

… _**I'm Back!**_

_**Sorry I disappeared there, just got really busy over here, so many things I've been up to …. That's another story though.**_

_**So there are so many things I had planned for this chapter …. But unfortunately I decided I wanted to get a little intimate with Alec and Renesmee, which turned out to be really long like I said I hadn't anticipated that.**_

_**But there are so many people I need to say thanks to so I'm just gonna place every name I see down.**_

_**.Lady Grimshaw.

* * *

**_

**Thanks too. ...  
**

_In Jinx's eyes, Martia, Anya Martinez, Sakura Breeze, Nelenaluver100, Wolf's Flight, Imyourfreakingprincess, King Of The World500, Acyla, alec08, coldlips-kiss, Curious Zara, DanniiGirl, Deletethisaccountsoonplease, _

_girl-crazy-4-VampyreSpeed, ILeftMyselfInTexas, InsaneMoments', Lady Comare, Lady Crux, Maae del Volturi, missxamerica, nattycullen, PhycoticDisaterAlex, pinkearplug, QueenVamp, RedSoxFan7, SadieKaneNico39, sakurablossom142, TheTiesWeMade, True TwilightWitch, TwilightForever2010, .x, .rose xX, zebrarockz, -TessaChobit-, A Pale Forest Mist, AlissonDarling, amrgirl59, BrittneyAlec'sMate, Chay2193, chocolatecub, countrygirlxo, Genevamona, Kagome Echizen Fan, lalalaughter101, loveroffics, Maae del Volturi, MeliB1987, MusicForLife, PartTimeVampire, Paxl, Pradagirlatheart, Psychopathic Prodigy, starwarschic11, VampirePrincess156, Vanadesse Meldiriel, Whitlockslittlepixie, WolfGirl-911_

…_. I did say there was a lot of people._


	5. Magical Lies, Secrets and Truths

_**...Chapter V...**_

* * *

_**Magical Lies, Secrets and Truths**_

* * *

The room they had entered was large and the smell of dust and aged leather was heavy in the room. As she looked around she found that the room was a large library, with a high cathedral ceiling designed with women of pre Raphaelite depictions and gorgeous sceneries blending into each other. Of course there were Roman columns three stories high and three stories of a long line of shelves filled to the brim. Two spiral staircases on either side of the room, there seemed to be small ponds in the room separated by desks and statues from all over the world and all different times of the ancient times, and square shaped lamps coming out from the rather large swimmable ponds. She could smell the oils that made the flames dance and she knew instantly that the flames were that of Greek fire.

Did she mention all the books, and books and more books that seemed to bury the entire room?

So many books and she'd never be bored. _'It's official I've found my favorite room.' _She thought to herself as she looked around the room with wide wondrous eyes. She knew she looked like a child on Christmas morning.

"So glad you like it my child." Aro's voice rang in her ears.

Snapping back to reality she found that her hand was slightly touching his hand. He smiled at her softly then, comforting her in his own way as she placed her hand back onto his covered forearm. She really hated than no matter how little bit of skin that was touching they'd forever see into her mind and fantasies. She'd have to buy gloves that should limit some contact with others.

Wonder if Aro ever had this problem considering his ability was tactile as well.

"You're modest, just like your mother." Aro said as he pulled her along with him further into the room.

Again with the similarities between her and her mother, had they not yet understood that they were not the same person? Instead of voicing her thoughts she decided to ignore his statement.

While she loved her mother dearly, she'd had enough people trying to make her be her mother in some way or another. There was only a handful of people out there that actually saw her as who she really was. The other's were either those that wanted her to be her mother, to be human, and those that just followed how her parents wanted her to be in order to stay on their good side.

She'd never understood what was so great about being human in the first place. It wasn't that she hated the human race or even thought she was better, because she wasn't, she was half human and as a half human she had some sort of humanity in her.

Still though, humans if nothing, lived to die, they knew their time was to end, every day was a rush-hour for them. Always having to make deadlines, nothing was ever finished unless another said it was. While she understood their wonder and glory to many things, seeing as she was still a child herself, she couldn't for the life of her, understand why there were so many boundaries in everything from what they had to feel for something, to how they had too act in civilization, and the boundaries in their relationships of all kinds.

She was vampire though, and as a vampire many of these boundaries were merely just lines of the imagination that the human civilization created in order to control their own kind. Unfortunately for her, her parents decided to suppress her vampire calling and used these imaginary lines to repress her. What they needed to learn was that nobody and nothing could repress ones natural instincts, doing so will only back fire on the containers.

"Do you believe in magic?" Aro's voice rang into the large library.

Snapping her attention back to him she let the question ring through her mind.

Did she believe in magic? Well to answer the question she needed to look at the word being used. What exactly is magic? What she knew of magic was not much, the subject never coming into any of her studies with school or her family, and she didn't learn anything from Vladimir or Stephan in the subject either. What she could say was that people that practiced the art claimed in many books and movies that magic was an unexplained force that was beyond the basic intellectual capacity of human logistics. That though right there said that these practitioners believed they were something more than human, which was another subject altogether though. So if she broke down what she knew from the books and movies she could base that magic is the ability to influence and manipulate the surrounding realities of the world by supernatural resources from knowledge passed through centuries and centuries of Occult laws unidentified to science.

Her brain needed to breathe this kind of thinking was tasking on the mind.

Now she was going to analyze to words that stood out to her that she knew very well; supernatural and occult.

The word supernatural if broken down was above nature in Latin terms, the definition of the word is anything above or beyond what one holds to be natural or exist outside of natural law and the observable universe. Characteristics for phenomena claimed as supernatural are anomaly, uniqueness, and uncontrollability.

Now the word occult came from the Latin word Occultus meaning clandestine, hidden or secret. The word was always used to refer the knowledge of the hidden. While she knew the word and its meanings were very popular, she needed to remember the fact of what she was using the word for. She needed to base it off the obvious one that meet the criteria's for the subject at hand. Many serious practitioners believe it is the study of a deeper spiritual reality that extends beyond pure reason and the physical science.

If she were to dumb it down and simplify it all she would point her finger at the elephant in the room at the moment.

Vampires; Vampires, hybrids, shapeshifters or skinwalkers, and werewolves; even if she's never seen some of these creatures in her entire life, were all part of a supernatural occult if one really wanted to think it through.

How was it possible that they existed? How was it possible that they had abilities beyond the norm?

While she'd never come across magic in her studies or ever really looked into it beyond the books and movies she liked to watch and read. Would she be able to say that it was real despite the fact the she was alive and breathing, despite the fact that her father was alive when he should have truly died sometime in the early 1900's.

So did she believe in magic?

"Yes." Adding anything to that was just unneeded. Her answer was known and that was good enough.

He smiled at her; another giddy smile that she was realizing only Aro could pull off. Speaking again with immaculate correction to every English word he was using. "Good, I expected to hear nothing less from the offspring of Carlisle's pedigree."

Carlisle's pedigree? What did that mean? It seemed her question was written on her face as Aro spoke up answering again. "Forgive me I'd completely forgotten they never told you about your grandfather."

"What about my grandfather?" She finally asked

"I cannot tell you it is not my story to tell … I can tell you it was your grandfather that figured out that despite the fact that we vampire cannot reproduce with one another, maker's and their progeny do carry similar traits in their venom." He explained.

She understood to well. "And because Grandfather created my father, his venom runs in my blood as well as my fathers and mothers." She finished.

"Exactly." Aro supplied in a giddy tone.

That would explain why she and her grandfather had more in common than her parents did, at least in her mind sight they did. Even her Grandmother Esmee and Grandfather Charlie said she was more like him than her parents.

Still though, she'd never been told and she wondered why her parents never told her about her Grandfather's findings, and then there was the fact that they neglected to tell her about her dear grandfather's time spent with the Volturi.

That's something a person should know. While she should wonder why her grandfather never told her of such things, she knew her grandfather would have told her something had she asked, though she never needed to ask. Her grandfather while a private person was also a very honest person and would share when he felt there was a need to.

Though now she knew the reason why her parents never seemed too debase the Volturi in front of her Grandfather, they knew he would tell her the truth and ruin all their hard work on twisting and manipulating her into what they wanted.

Aro walked back over to her and grasped her hand, she wanted to pull away, and he knew this but he kept his grip on her and she forced herself to stop struggling, he wasn't trying to look into her mind, he was trying to comfort her in a way. His words only solidifying this thought.

"Trust me my child, all your questions will be answered and you will know the truth to everything after today."

He let go of her hand then as he continued to pull her by her arm further into the library.

The problem with her unanswered question though, was that they were unanswered for reasons. Why would she want answers to questions that everyone else was afraid to acknowledge? "Is it truly necessary to answer any questions? Questions with no answers are that way for reason, and really it's not right to answer things when the people themselves are afraid of answering them."

"True, but it's better to have the answers than to be ignorant and oblivious, remember knowledge is power my child." Aro replied.

She knew she was pouting as she mumbled. "So said the man that contracted pneumonia while stuffing a fowl with snow and died some a hundred and eighty five years ago."

Aro looked on bemusedly as he spoke. "Aw Francis Bacon what an intriguing mind he was, a bit too much of a closet misogynist though; darling Sulpicia was adamant that he had to go though."

That statement alone made her wonder if he truly died from pneumonia now. "You make it sound as though you and he met at a dinner party with him as the main course."

Aro only blinked with wide amused and giddy eyes, she shuddered at the implications of those blinks. Then the curiosity seeped into her mind, how many famous people had come here, how many of them had been turned, and how many of them became meals. With the Volturi though, her curiosity was endless, had been ever since they had first been mentioned to her, and since she could remember her parents had a strong resentment towards them. Of course she could understand part of that resentment; being a parent came with the urge to shield and protect their child from everything there was that could cause harm. The Volturi wanted to destroy her thinking she was an immortal child, and then they wanted to destroy her out of the unknown possibilities. She understood, from both points of view if anyone could believe it. Every one of them should thank whatever made them that she wasn't one to hold grudges in the least.

"Please don't respond to that statement." She pleaded quietly, knowing that he was planning to answer it. She received a grin from Aro in return. "But of course, we'll let that statement go unnoticed." He instead responded.

"That would be lovely, especially since it was never said." She continued.

"What were we talking about?" Aro feigned ignorance as he switched the subject, Renesmee grinned at him as he looked around the room for something else to talk about. Pressing her lips in a lipless smile at him, he decided finally on what the new topic was. "What are your thoughts on your parents my dear?" He asked innocently.

Her smile fell as she went into her statue mode. Her voice came out soft and slightly stiff as she spoke. "I'm sure you already know my thoughts on _that_."

A frown was given to her this time and she wondered if she should worry. This was Aro; if he wanted to kill her he could do so while smiling happily at her, it worried her more now. He spoke in a concerned tone though.

"Renesmee while I do see, hear and feel everything you've ever been a part of. The matter of your parents is something hard for me to understand and it makes me wonder if you yourself understand what you feel and see. While I know you've been told countless times about how your parents came to be, you've constantly forced your thoughts and emotions to stay positive and not wonder towards anything that may destroy your family."

She should deny and say he was trying to manipulate her but she'd be wrong, she already knew what it felt like to be manipulated and this wasn't how Aro would go about manipulating people. Still, what was she suppose to say to that? If someone such as Aro; a carnivorous vampire that had seen and done nearly everything couldn't understand what was going on inside her, than how was she supposed to understand it herself? What about her parents though? What about the consequences to looking into the subject? While she was angry with them for manipulating her in such ways, they were still her parents she didn't hate them.

Then there was the fear, what was she suppose to do with that? How did one push away the fear of such truths? Looking away from Aro she finally responded. "Why would I want to know anything if someone like you can't even understand it?"

Aro must have seen this coming from her because his answer was much too easy for him to say and it came even quicker than she liked. "If there was one thing I learned in my long life it would be that fear is only in the mind, once you realize that it is not physical and it won't hurt you to face it, your world will never have any obstacles in it."

Fear was only physical? Well in a way it could be true some fears were just part of the mind.

"Yeah well, physical or not it's still a fear."

He didn't respond in anyway, she'd expected him not to.

With a flick of his wrist she watched silently as two unknown guards came in with a wooden pedestal that was connected to what looked like a large box that was made from the same wood. The guards stopped right before them, the pedestal stood right in front of them with the box facing them.

There was something about the box that pulled her complete attention towards it, it was like her grandmother Esmee's Rigatoni con la Pajata, such an exquisite aroma, so juicy and warm, beckoning her towards the kitchen and enrapturing all her senses upon seeing it being cooked and prepared. The pull towards the book was just that great, and not many things could capture her attention like her grandmother Esmee's cooking could.

"_Amazing isn't it, how it seems to lull everything around you and call you like a siren's song can."_ Aro's voice came into her hearing range, it seemed blurred though to her and she could only give a curt nod and a simple '_yeah' _in response.

She noticed then how the wood seemed to be straight from a tree of some sort tree, she could smell it and she knew that smell, she knew this tree. "Hawthorn." She murmured softly to herself.

"Very good, it seems, your godfather taught you very well." Aro replied.

Her eyes locked onto the symbol she recognized instantly and she traced the ancient Egyptian symbol gently with her pointer finger. The ankh.

"_L__a vita eterna_." Aro's blurred voice spoke. She responded to him by translation. "Everlasting life."

When her finger hit the very middle of the box she jumped when it softly popped open, just a miniscule, but enough to show her that it was a double door sort of box.

She never really knew the name of such things but it sounded better than the two thing-a-ma-jigs. Opening both sides at the same time she found insid the box was an opened book.

Journal perhaps, it was blank, but the parchment was old, very old if her assumptions were correct, it was possible three centries old, the makings of the binds were not glued together but sewn, long stitch; very popular during the sixteen hundreds and the seventeen hundreds.

It smelled though, of burnt flesh, ashes, smoke and death. Wrapped around essences of tears and blood, possibly even a bit of love and pride with hints of a time and place unknown to her. Not something she wanted to become acusstomed too.

"Ask it something, anything, it'll give you all the answers."

Turning to Aro she looked at him skepitically before speaking. "Yes, because a blank book is going to tell me everything I want to know."

She should have just kept her mouth shut, that look he was giving her, that amused look, that '_you'd be surprised_.' look, it didn't sit well with her at all.

"Do me the honor of at least giving it a try." He said.

'_It wouldn't hurt to try'. _At least she hoped it wouldn't. Turning her attention back to Aro she asked. "So exactly how do I ask my question?" A soft smile was given to her and she watched in horror as he quickly grabbed her hand and pressed a nail into her palm. That wasn't the scary part, that was the painful part. The scary part was watching her blood drip down and waiting for the inevitable of everyone loosing control.

And she waited, and waited and the seconds ticked by with not so much as a twitch. Looking over to Aro she lifted a brow at him as she spoke through her mind.

'_Aren't you suppose to be blood thirsty carnivorous vampires?'_

"While we do love human blood, we are not bloodthirsty as many people believe us to be, see when you become part of the Volturi you must be able to suppress your thirst at all times, what with the coming and going of humans, and we can't have an empire of bodies to sit on, it would be most unbecoming of us. ... Then there's the fact that your blood while it smells heavenly it doesn't make us thirsty since we can smell the vampire in you."

"Got that."

"Your blood darling, put it on the paper." He said snapping her attention back to the book.

Taking a deep breath she pressed her palm onto the parchment and pulled away slowly watching and waiting. She didn't have to wait long though, she watched as the blood sinked into the paper and disappeared right before her very eyes.

'_Talk about Tom Riddle's diary.' _ She thought to herself.

The pages of the book began to flip quickly and she took a step back only to feel Aro's arms embrace her shoulders, stopping her from moving further away. "I believe it has something to talk to you about." He whispered in her ear.

The flipping stopped and she watched as the pages fell softly. The red liquid reappearing at the surface once more and moving about in circles and and straight lines, crooked lines. Until finally it stopped and she looked upon the portrait.

The portrait of herself. Above the portrait it read in Latin. _'Princeps in Olympio'_ ... Princess in the Olympian, not the best term she would pick for herself. The portrait and the pictures disappeared and she watched this time as the red started to swirl and loop about creating elegant writing.

"_You're wondering if it's real, if they know the truth, if the other's know the truth as well, what it really is between them."_

"No." She whispered to herself, it wasn't possible, it was merly a trick, someone in the room was capable of producing illusions just as Zafrina was capable of.

Again the words disappeared only to show different ones. _"No never a lie, never an illusion, never for you, you see truth, you see reality, wiser than many beyond your age you are."_

"_The answer to your questions you already know, no it was never real, not capable between a human and a vampire. A wolf and a lamb. Your breath, your scent, your looks, all so enticing to the eye of humans, and so entracing for them, so hypnotizing for them. They knew it as well, they all did, everyone of them knew the truth, they saw it later, after they heard she jumped to see his beauty once more. You know what it is, you've known since you can remember. It is them, the two that refuse to except what it is between them."_

She could feel her heart beating in the pit of her stomach, could hear it loud like bells in her head, she felt like she couldn't breath, couldn't move like something was restricing her basic insticts.

"_Obsession, they are obsessed with one another, never could their be love between a human and vampire, never before them never after them, never, never , never."_

Everything she could remember about her loving parents came crashing before her, all those smiles between them, all those secret stares they gave when the other wasn't looking, it was all a lie.

The worst was they knew it, everyone knew it. She knew it, she'd always known, always feared it.

"_They lie to you, your blood lies, for their own self they lie, for the boy they lie, they sculpt you in the image of that who bore you, to save the fool from dying of a broken heart they lie and sculpt. Out of fear they sculpt you, out of love they sculpt you, out of obsession they sculpt you."_

"_Their enemies, are not your own, their demons are not your own, their fight is not your own."_

How many times had an old aquaintence of her families come and gone with the departing words of running before it was too late? How they had tried to steer her away from what her parents said. She'd never listened to them though when she should have. She had never wanted too, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the truth out of fear. Her parents couldn't have found a more willing and blinded fool.

How could she let them do this too her?

The room became stuffy then and she felt like she was suffocating she needed to get out to get her breath back, to get her mind back, she just needed something.

Before she even knew it her feet were moving and everything was blurry, her lashes cold, wet. … She was crying.

* * *

"Should you not go after her?" A voice called from the top staircase and Alec watched as Aro turned to find Caius leaning casually on the railings overlooking them, he truly was arrogant sometimes.

Aro looked at the book serenely as he closed it back up. "No, she needs some time; it seems Renesmee's world has finally tumbled before her. I'll have someone check on her in the morning."

"So what did the book have to say brother? Did it tell her how she was going to die? Did it tell her whom her true loved was? Or did it tell her secrets we must never know about her that you covet so preciously?" Caius asked as he moved towards the staircase.

Aro's answer was simple, but confusing. "The truth, it told her the truth."

"Ah, the truth of what exactly?" Caius pushed more.

"It told her truths to that of which she so preciously clung to." Aro replied as he motioned for the motionless guards to take back the book. "It's sad really how much she allowed herself to depended on her family. Edward and Isabella Cullen surely should have known that Renesmee was more aware than she allowed people to think." He continued on.

"Trouble within the faultless Cullen's?" Caius asked. "Nothing that she hadn't already figured out about merely refused to acknowledge."

"Such a shame I was really looking forward to having her around." "She's not leaving, not any time soon; Renesmee has a thirst for knowledge beyond any normal being, human or other. She's stronger than you give her credit for brother, these hybrids have many problems they are forced to handle. They aren't anything like us, and yet they are the same as us, everything like a human then nothing at all similar. It must be hard walking on the line of mortal and immortal."

"She acts like a child." Caius fired back.

"A child in form, in heart yes, in the mind though, in her eyes, her soul, she is wise, just like Carlisle, they share many similar traits when you think about it. She's merely been misguided by her family into thinking that she's nothing more than a precious child of glass that has been made from the finest sands."

Yes, she was for sure nothing of such, anyone that went willingly along with his sister's madness and found a way to hurt, anger and cause her jealousy was if anything not a child made of glass. He could say that, one conversation with her and he could see it, could feel that she was anything but a child.

Renesmee Cullen had surely known how to enrapture his curiosity so thoroughly; she was charming in a way that was endearing, if he remembered correctly his exact word had been adorable. She was highly observant for a youngling as well, she easily caught on to the fact that something wasn't exactly right about Coran and she was smart realizing barely a few minutes after their discussion about the Ancients the whole reason why Aro had such a well bred coven and why he wanted her family actually that last part could have been why everywhere he walked he had Renata literally on his heels at all times.

Another thing that she definitely was not was naïve, if Caius would just allow himself to stop with the pride and prejudice about being a full and complete vampire and have one real conversation with Renesmee he would see that she was not naïve. She could act all she wanted and she was good, especially if she had Felix, Caius and Jane all fooled, but he, Demetri and Aro they could all see that her adolescence was only upon her skin.

Besides any person that was capable of catching on as fast as she had, realizing that he started flirting with her not long after their initial conversation had ended, couldn't be a child, it wasn't possible, he did not flirt with children … Such things actually were something he found sickening unlike some more older vampires that didn't keep up with modern times.

And her secrets, he'd been pushing to see what she would admit, what with her not wanting to tell him about her life back in Washington, she'd been persistent though in keeping that information tightly sealed, which only made him want to know even more so.

The only problem with her though, was that she could read him to easily for his likings, nobody was capable of reading him like her not in one day, and even that in a few moments like she had. Her perception while amusing and outstanding was slightly unnerving at the same time, as well as dangerous; it could get her into a lot of trouble later on in the future.

A light tap on his elbow and he turned to look at Jane and she nodded her head forward as they watched a guard come into the room, looking more nervous than he'd ever seen a guard look before.

He was sure that he'd told Mykelti to only allow privileged guards to come into the wing, he'd have to have a word about breaking protocol later when he'd had more time on his hands.

Aro was the first to take notice of the apprehensive guard and he turned to look at them for a moment silently questioning. He was irrated slightly, amused and curious; he could see it in his eyes as he spoke. "Yes boy."

"I'm sorry for disturbing you Milord's, but it's urgent. One of the others saw Miss. Cullen exiting Volterra at high speeds …. In a resident's car."

He should remember next time to add that she was also highly unpredictable, that one he hadn't seen coming. Although by the look on Aro's face he was more amused than surprised, he had predicted her running; he hadn't predicted the car though. Caius was of course annoyed and possibly infuriated by this new information.

"She stole a car? …. Again?" He asked with a giddy smile. Of course only Aro would find this entertaining, he naturally wouldn't be the one having to clean up the mess she's created and fill out all the paper work to make this go away.

Really he felt bad for Afton when it came to times like these, being an assistant and clean-up man must have been tiring and aggravating.

"Was she seen by anyone else?" Aro asked as he walked towards the doors, he and Jane followed in his steps, keeping to his back sides. The guard was quick to reply. "No, we guessed that she must have used her ability to distract the human to give her enough time to get in the driver's seat."

Well it would seem that she hadn't been speaking theories; she knew she really could use her ability to distract when needing to get away from something. He'd keep that in the back of his mind for later times though.

"I see …. Have Afton begin the paper work and phone calls, I don't want any of this to be connected with us." Aro continued on as they walked down the large halls.

"This is fascinating really, her emotions drive her and yet somewhere she's allowing her logical side to control her physical movements." Aro spoke to himself loudly as he turned a corner.

In a way it was sort of interesting, she was running on her emotions yet her mind, her intellect was riding shot gun ready to do what was necessary to keep her alive, something many vampires, newborns especially didn't have, really it was hard sometimes with having such powerful feelings, it made the ability to think that much harder and left them to fend for themselves as if they were nothing more than vicious animals.

"Sir what would you like us to do about Miss. Cullen? Should we pursue and apprehend?" The guard asked.

Aro seemed taken aback by the notion of getting the Cullen back to Volterra before she could do anything more attention worthy. "We will do no such thing, make sure you tell everyone just to merely keep an eye out for her, I'm sure she'll be back tomorrow, make sure she arrives safely and quietly this time though; we don't need any more messes like her first entry extravaganza ."

"Of course, Milord." The guard said as he bowed before disappearing in a flourish.

"Sir should we really stand down?" Jane asked as she finally spoke up for the first time since they'd entered the parlor.

Aro didn't hesitate in his next words and Jane was silently seething that nothing seemed to be going her way. "Did I stop you when you suddenly decided to go on a rampage a week after you turned?"

She tried her best to have a comeback, but she stumbled upon her words, really it was funny looking at Jane's flustered face. "That was different though ... I … I had been a newborn."

"And darling Renesmee is similar to one, remember her emotions are much similar to an immortal child's, the prospect of her doing something unexpecting should be expected. She is a half breed, her emotions are strong. You shouldn't worry though my dear, Renesmee is a human, with the constant fear of us watching her every move, she won't allow herself to get into any trouble that could attract the human eye."

"You shouldn't make her seem as though she's the invincible woman. She's anything but."

Her ego had been stabbed and her heart as well, he could see the heartbreak in her eyes that Aro was unknowingly causing with his praise of the youngest Cullen.

Sometimes he wondered if Aro liked to play with Jane's feelings knowing full well that she would certainly react somehow explosively. He'd never tried such things with himself, it was as if there had been an unspoken rule, an unspoken pact that they had made from the very beginning, and it worked great for them, he did what he needed to do and Aro did what he did. Most of the time now they stayed out of each other's path, not because there were any problems between them; there wasn't any, but because he didn't need Aro any more like he had when he'd first turned.

Honestly people like Aro and Jane gave him a headache, and that for a vampire was truly possible.

"My dear Jane, may I suggest that you not become jealous of Renesmee, you forget sometimes that you are you and she is herself, the two of you while different you do carry very few similarities, that and you never know what may come of a person dearest, she could allow herself to become like Vladimir or even that woman Victoria whom so zealously sought out for retribution against Renesmee's on family and she could even end up like her own mother. The possibilities are endless with beings like us and them, which is why you should never be jealous, years from now you could hate her for something she's done, or you could pity her for her choices, the two of you could even turn out to be best friends, maybe you and she could end up as lovers, you never know about these things."

Just the thought of Jane and Renesmee as lovers made his stomach twist in an awful way, while he wasn't against homosexuality something that was common in the vampire community seeing as they didn't see or believe in genders and had even experimented on the subject himself like many other vampires had. Jane and Renesmee weren't the type of women that needed to find each other attractive in any sexual way. Any sexual relationship that started out where the parties literally wanted to rip each other to pieces was never a healthy relationship and too much drama for the parties and their friends and family.

Then there was also the part where he didn't want to see his sister dating someone he found attractive, it's not right and not fair one bit.

The direction in which Aro was trying to lead Jane's thoughts into though while a little more speaking his thoughts out and not thinking before speaking first were in fact true, Jane should really not be jealous, while it was obvious that Aro found Renesmee fascinating and was giving her all the attention and care she could want from him, she didn't have the three hundred and plus years that Jane had with Aro. There was no way that Aro would just forget about Jane after three centuries of treating her like the daughter he'd never had, it wasn't possible for any vampire to allow themselves to create a bond with one another and then just walk away, it had never been done and could never be done.

Well at least on the exception that the vampire was incapable of feeling emotions or had a change of heart after years or centuries of second guessing their decision.

"Aro I heard about the Cullen girl." Marcus's voice said as it riveted on the walls as the man walked into the room.

"Ah brother, lovely for you to join us." Aro said as he sat down, motioning to them that the conversation was over and they could leave.

"Alec, could you bring me Demetri; there are some things that need to be discussed with him."Aro said.

Of course they still thought that Jane hadn't figured things out, Aro was hardly vague and when he was he had never really been good at it. "Of course, I'll have him here in a moment." Alec replied as he led Jane out of the office.

* * *

Her limit to humiliation had finally been hit; she couldn't believe what she had read, what her own blood had told her. Did they even realize that now she was feeling everything that she hadn't wanted to feel? Did they even know that they had just ruined their own reputations and it was all on her shoulders to fix it? She loved them, really she did, running away may not have been the smartest way of showing it, but really she did love them; had she not she wouldn't be feeling all these things because of them, and she didn't allow her emotions to go haywire over someone she didn't love. It was good in a way, some way she hadn't figured out yet, it was also bad though, very bad because now Aro knew the truth that she had been so carefully blinding others and herself from, they could be her downfall.

As she heard a persistent honking she pulled herself out of her mind to the realization that she could barely see with the tears that had nearly blinded her, as she wiped them away with the back of her hand she quickly turned the wheel barely missing the large semi that had been about to collide into her smaller car.

Taking a breath she recollected herself as she once again lost herself in her thoughts. She wasn't about to lie to herself, the new development was making her mind run in circles and making her dizzy. She wasn't about to go and destroy her family over this, not in any emotional, physical or even physiological way she was sure one of the Volturi wanted that and she wasn't about to give them the pleasure.

Her emotions and thoughts were completely out of her hands right now it wasn't helping in anyway.

Aro was lucky that she was raised to be a respectable girl, she was sure if she was anything less she would have destroyed that damned book had she stayed there any longer with it. She was going to be calm about this, she wasn't a child, she was an adult now and having a hissy fit wasn't going to help her at all. She just needed to breathe.

As she pulled over to the side of the road she turned off the engine and took a deep breath again, closing her eyes she counted to ten as she recollected herself. She couldn't allow this to affect her so much, she had always known deep down about this. She was not going to lose her composure just yet, nothing bad had happened so far, so she just needed to think everything through.

When she thought back to the days when she was young, when she was less observant; she scrutinized it all. Her mind traveled back in time observing all the smiles, the laughing, the winks. Questioning every word, every conversation; trying to understand it all.

Her mind wandered through and skimmed everything, digging up every crevice, breaking up every question, every answer given and taken until it came up clean causing her to move to the next. She studied everyone, her mother, her father, her grandparents, her aunt, her uncles, the other covens, Stephan …. Vladimir. Her memoirs becoming nothing more than dissected body parts she began sewing back together, she closed her eyes again and took a breath.

Try as she might she gave up on her search, she was still trying to make sense of her own life. How was she suppose to find what she was looking for when she didn't even know what it was in the first place?

While her vampiric blood gave her the ability to never forget anything she heard, felt and saw. She done already went through _everything, _not leaving any stones left unturned.

She groaned as her father's voice drifted into her head.

"_Always my little analyst…. I take complete blame for that, as a human, even for me sleep was always hard to come by, my mind would never allow it, it was always going and going, spinning theories and ideas, thoughts and words for hours on end. It's a curse really."_

He'd said that once when she was seven, he and her mother had come to see her after they and the rest of her Cullen family had left to track down her uncle Jaspers old colleges. Stephan had noticed early on from the moment she was dropped off with them about her _little_ annoyance, told her father the moment they'd come back to check up on her. The shock and pride on her father's face was something she was accustomed to but the pity had not been. Her father tried to help her with her neuroticism, spending money on the best therapist and counselor's money could buy in Romania.

… Personally if someone were to ask her, she'd have to say that she truly believed shrinks only made matters worse.

She needed to stop thinking it was going to be her downfall and right now her thoughts could turn against her any minute and she could wind up back where she started for all her eternity.

Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a moment and caught her breath, yes that sounded wonderful.

* * *

There was a slam of a car door outside their cottage home, while she knew under any other circumstances she would have already begun her journey back to the main house the moment she had heard the car pull up to her driveway.

Bella sighed as she caught the scent of fuchsia and crocus banaticus two out of four of Renesmee's favorite flowers. … At least that was what she thought, now she was beginning to question if she even knew her daughter, pathetic really that she didn't even know her own daughters favorite flowers.

The handle to the front door could be heard twisting so far and harshly that it broke off and she heard the door swing open madly and the harsh yell that resounded throughout the whole house. _"Cullen!"_

As she sat up from Renesmee's perfectly made bed she stood up as she watched the skinny golden haired vampire that towered over herself moved into the room.

She could feel the anger that radiated off of him, could see the flames and the promise of pain in his red eyes. "Vladimir." Bella acknowledged as she waited for him to make the first move.

"What the hell did you do?" He spat at her as he flew across the room and grabbed her by the neck. Her strength gone due to the stress and pain of loss she forced herself not to panic as she looked down into his bright red eyes.

"I told you, I told both of you not to push her, I told you she didn't love him and now she's gone!"

"She does love him! I know it! She loves him just as he loves her! Jacobs has-" She couldn't finished her sentence as he pressed harder into her throat and she could swear she could feel something beginning to break. "Has what? …. Has imprinted? Oh yes, Of course the imprint how could I ever forget, he's bound to her for all eternity, all because she can squeeze out dogs!"

The way he said it made it sound wrong, that wasn't what an imprint was all about. "An imprint is one sided Isabella! I learned that from Jacob himself, why do you think he so pitifully follows you around, so loyal and trust worthy as a dog should be."

"But of course you couldn't have one of the loves of your life broken hearted, you couldn't leave him be so you pushed them upon each other so desperate to keep them, so desperate to have the Cinderella story your miserable existence was missing. You had to make sure you lived the rest of your human life through her. Bending everything so she wouldn't notice what you truly were about. Then you made sure to wait when I was out of range incapable of stopping anything. You are a miserable and pathetic waste Isabella, a forever user."

He let go of her neck then as he pulled out a lighter and flicked it on. "Now tell me … What had you been planning to do when I found out about the marriage?"

The fear that encompassed her then was more than what she'd ever felt at least with the Volturi she could protect herself, but with Vladimir he had no mental abilities, he could do whatever he wanted and she would have to defend herself, and as a vegetarian that wasn't possible against someone like him.

"Does any of it matter anymore? Renesmee is gone, nobody can find her. There wasn't any trails, she took off on a plane and nobody at the airport had seen her, she snuck on and we don't know where to." She cried as she watched the flame flicker before her.

"Not really but I really don't like it when someone tries to do things I'm very much against … I'm sure Renesmee told you this though."

"Why do you even care? You aren't in love with her, Edward told me what happened between you and her when she was in Romania." "That's not the point she's my humanity, my purity. I will not allow you to take away her happiness … Count yourself lucky Carlisle and Stephan were even able to convince me to give her back to you when I was well in my right to keep her safe from you."

… _Keep her safe … From her …_

Was she truly that bad of a person? She couldn't believe that wanting happiness for daughter and best friend was a problem in itself. Yes she admitted that at one point in her human life she had been in love with Jacob but it had been just a phase.

Right? Until now she had never second guessed herself about such a thing.

Before either of them could speak though they heard a phone go off in the house.

"So do you think she'll be back?" Jane asked her brother as they sat around the lounge room waiting for something to happen. In the corner of her eye she could see and smell Demetri walk into the room along with Heidi and Felix.

"Aro believes she will and he knows her like he does the back of his hand I trust in his judgment." Alec replied smoothly. Jane rolled her eyes at her brother's lack of thought and watched as Heidi gracefully fell to steps next to her.

"So did you hear about the Cullen?" She asked shamelessly. Alec sighed as he rolled his eyes and answered for his sister and himself. "We were there." "And it was quite a sight." Jane added amusedly.

Heidi nodded her head as she spoke once more. "Yes well I overheard Afton and Chelsea talking supposedly the girl was seen entering Slovenia." "Slovenia? Does Aro know of this?" Demetri asked as he entered into the conversation.

"Yeah … I guess that's why they were talking about it; supposedly Chelsea was angered that he had not told her first." "Of course, Chelsea has always been a bit of a prim donna." Felix said as leaned against one of the thrones.

Heidi nodded her head in agreement. "I'd like to know what the book said to make her run as fast as she did." Jane said suddenly. Considering that Felix and Demetri's assault on her yesterday morning had not caused her to run for the heels automatically. The same went for Jane who had also attacked her physically and mentally in front of their leaders.

"Could it be the same thing that had her run from her family?" Demetri replied.

"Possibly, then again it could have very well told her to run, knowing what might come to her if she stays once the ancients come knocking." Jane replied.

"What do you think they'd do to her?" Chelsea asked.

Jane twitched and for her to twitch they knew it was a bad sign. "I fear for her if such a situation should come … Corin has already shown his interest in her… and Corin find nothing interesting, not us, humans or even materials." Alec spoke.

"That is a problem; Aro had said that you had suggested appointing her a personal guard. Do you believe if she comes back that he'd try anything?" Demetri replied.

"The probability of her coming back is still a long shot." Jane said. "Aro believes she'll come back and yes I do believe that he'd try to do something if he catches her alone. She's an interesting being and while not the most naïve creature she's still a young and obviously very innocent." Alec replied.

"With the rate the two of you are going I highly doubt Renesmee will be … _innocent _much longer." Felix replied with a smile.

"While I'll admit that she's good looking especially with the knowing fact that she's Edward and Isabella's biological child and that she is also quite a charming person … you know I'm not one for virgins … too many things that could go so terribly wrong." Alec replied smoothly.

"And while I admit that she's good looking and … well she's good looking and a virgin. Her being Edwards's daughter is a big turn off for me." Demetri answered as well.

Felix nodded his head in understand. "Of course, of course I mean Alec you weren't flirting with her in the parlor room and Demetri you hadn't tried to get into her pants twice already." He rebuked.

"Hey! That's uncalled for and just to let you know I fully knew that she was gonna say no both times."

"I don't feel the need to defend myself playful banter is nothing but what it is with me."

Felix shook his head as he crossed his arms against his chest, Jane continued to glare at both of them. "Well I don't see the problem with wanting to lay with her, she's a very attractive young woman and she comes from a respectable bloodline and her pedigree is quite exceptional, meaning she would make a good mate to the person of her choosing." Chelsea spoke up.

"This is true … but I'd like to see Renesmee at least try to find a mate other than just laying with different people." Felix replied.

Jane scrunched her brows in anger as she spoke. "There's no need to play substitute father … she's not here to hear you defend her so you can drop the act."

"Yeah brother … I don't think Isabella is going to give you brownie points just because you defended her daughter's reputation." Demetri added. "Amazingly enough I'm not acting nor am I trying to win points in Isabella's favor. .. I actually would like to see Renesmee find a mate and not become another floozy that nearly all our people have had a go at. … I have said this about you Chel's and I've said it about Reneta and even you Jane. … I don't see the problem in wanting you all to have a respectable relationship that is based off love and mutual trust and understanding."

"So you want Renesmee to have everything her parents don't." Demetri said with a smirk. "Yes … No … I wasn't thinking about Isabella, I actually just want to see her happy, there's obviously something missing with that girl. … I mean for most of our women the only problem they have is …" Felix stopped as he looked towards Chelsea and Jane hoping that he wouldn't anger them.

Chelsea though decided to finish for him. "Children … It's okay Felix we've already been down this emotional path before." She said reassuringly.

Felix nodded his head. "Sorry, but yes Renesmee can have children … supposedly and she can mate with human and shifters maybe she can even mate with us. Yet I feel as though there is something terribly wrong with her deep, deep down."

"Of course there is, she's a Cullen and there's something wrong with all of them. … Carlisle might as well be a human; his wife opens her arms up for everyone without batting an eyelash. Then there their so called _'children'_ the prophet is literally insane, her husband is one of us but is pitifully trying to ignore his true calling. The blonde one is obnoxious and obsessed with babies to the point that she may turn one or have her husband lay with a human to have one for her own benefit … then her husband well you've all seen him and her parents where do I even begin with them?" Jane yelled.

Alec shook his head in pity at his sister's outrage and jealousy. "Jane calm down, there's no need to get frustrated over nothing."

"You do have to admit though that Jane's got a point … the entire family has issues." Chelsea spoke.

"Maybe that's what's missing, perhaps we're so used to Cullen's having issue's that were now stuck on Renesmee because she might now have any at all." Alec pointed out softly.

"Yeah but then why would she have fled from her loved ones?" Demetri asked.

"Going by what Jane had just said wouldn't you have run if given the chance?" Alec questioned.

* * *

_**Sorry I've been gone so very, very long I lost all my inspiration to go on and finally just got it back and well truly I was about to put my story up for adoption for a moment there. But Like I said I got my mojo back and it's better than ever … I can't promise though that my updates with be A.S.A.P. kind in the process of moving and working and all that boring reality stuff but life goes on and so do I. I can promise that my next chap will be up though faster than this one had been. But to everyone that read my story so far thank you so much it means a lot to me that you put this on your favorite list and alert list.**_

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_**Thanks to all those as well that reviewed my last chap. **_

_**KnightessOfCydonia**_ : Thank you for your review and I owe all of my writing styles to J.K. Rowling's, Anne Rice, Steven King, Charlaine Harris and Ellen Schreiber these are all of my fav. Authors and muses.

_**GakuenAlicefan27**_ : Thanks for reviewing and I just to let you know I had written out Corin before she had written that all access book of twilight characters … I'm not positive on what the book was called but yeah and

Also I didn't like how when I read a fic on Renesmee and Alec everyone immediately jumped into them being head over heels with one another or just jumping into the relationship right away or

Something's like that honestly the only true story that I liked with Alec and Renesmee that was a full and now finished fic is _The Emotionless Shadow_ by _InspiredInTheMoment _if you want to see good

Writing check their story out it's pretty good.

_**nattycullen:**_ Thank you for your review and to be honest I got the runaway bride theory from runaway bride the movie .. You know Julia Roberts. And well I'm not a fan of Julia Roberts or Twilight but I liked the plot for

runaway bride and well I love the Volturi so my brain started to work and it formed this pretty baby that you're reading. I also saw that everyone only wrote a story starting Renesmee off as a seven year old

child and beginning a relationship with a cock, arrogant and quite honestly annoying Alec and so I decided to try something different and really it isn't right how Stephanie Meyer had her seven years old and

looking like a seventeen year old (talk about serious jailbait.) As for Alec I had to go over the stories some more and look over wikia to figure out how he needed to act and how Cameron Bright was

portraying him as so I put everything into the mixture and the dough turned out as you've read so far. .. also I think I've read some of your stories. .. And Stephanie Meyer truly needs to make a book

about the Volturi specifically about Renesmee and Alec (as if right she'd never do it.)

_**Reneslec**_: The relationship with Demetri, Alec and Renesmee has already been figured out … sorry but I won't be doing any sort of love triangle for any Volturi member, I can only see death and pain in that sort of

Equation. Thanks for the review.

_**Renesmee C. Cullen da original**_**: **More is coming don't you worry. Also thank for reviewing.

_**TheWitchTwins**_: Thank you for the review but I don't this is the best, flattering as it may be you should check out _The Emotionless Shadow _by _InspiredInTheMoment _That was a great Renesmee/Alec story.

_**Stefani**_: More is coming soon Stephanie who I'm hoping is secret Stephanie Meyer but knows it's truly not. Still thanks for your review much appreciated.

_**Shshdhd**_: You update has come to you, thanks for reviewing.

_**DayAnnKnight**_: Glad to know I could pull you in, thank you for your review.

_**KaelynMarieSalvatore**_: Seriosuly they need to make a book focusing on these two specifically. Thank for your review.

_**Alecvolturi'swifie**_: I'm continuing thanks for your review.

_**ShadowHuntress101**_: Thank you, you're review will help me continue to move this story along. Thanks for it.

_**Yona**_: I'm glad you liked it, and I'm also glad that you appreciate my hard work it always feels good to know that people notice how much effort you put into a story thanks for reviewing. … Twice.

_**Spudzmom**_: Thanks for reviewing and as for the tension well as you can see I really love it as well.

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_**~*Lady Grimshaw*~**_

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_**P.S. Also looking for a story icon so if any can find or make one I'll really appreciate it.**_


	6. Shedding Skin is Second Nature

**Previously on Tale of a Runaway Bride. ...**

_"Do you believe in magic?" Aro's voice rang into the large library._ _"Yes." Adding anything to that was just unneeded. Her answer was known and that was good enough._

_The pages of the book began to flip quickly and she took a step back only to feel Aro's arms embrace her shoulders, stopping her from moving further away. "I believe it has something to talk to you about." He whispered in her ear._

_The flipping stopped and she watched as the pages fell softly. The red liquid reappearing at the surface once more and moving about in circles and and straight lines, crooked lines. Until finally it stopped and she looked upon the portrait._

_The portrait of herself. Above the portrait it read in Latin. 'Princeps in O lympio' ... Princess in the Olympian, not the best term she would pick for herself. The portrait and the pictures disappeared and she watched this time as the red started to swirl and loop about creating elegant writing._

_"You're wondering if it's real, if they know the truth, if the other's know the truth as well, what it really is between them."_

_"No." She whispered to herself, it wasn't possible, it was merely a trick, someone in the room was capable of producing illusions just as Zafrina was capable of._

_Again the words disappeared only to show different ones. "No never a lie, never an illusion, never for you, you see truth, you see reality, wiser than many beyond your age you are."_

_"The answer to your questions you already know, no it was never real, not capable between a human and a vampire. A wolf and a lamb. Your breath, your scent, your looks, all so enticing to the eye of humans, and so entracing for them, so hypnotizing for them. They knew it as well, they all did, everyone of them knew the truth, they saw it later, after they heard she jumped to see his beauty once more. You know what it is, you've known since you can remember. It is them, the two that refuse to except what it is between them."_

_She could feel her heart beating in the pit of her stomach, could hear it loud like bells in her head, she felt like she couldn't breath, couldn't move like something was restricing her basic insticts._

_"Obsession, they are obsessed with one another, never could their be love between a human and vampire, never before them never after them, never, never , never."_

_Everything she could remember about her loving parents came crashing before her, all those smiles between them, all those secret stares they gave when the other wasn't looking, it was all a lie._

_The worst was they knew it, everyone knew it. She knew it, she'd always known, always feared it._

_"They lie to you, your blood lies, for their own self they lie, for the boy they lie, they sculpt you in the image of that who bore you, to save the fool from dying of a broken heart they lie and sculpt. Out of fear they sculpt you, out of love they sculpt you, out of obsession they sculpt you."_

_"Their enemies, are not your own, their demons are not your own, their fight is not your own."_

_How many times had an old acquaintance of her families come and gone with the departing words of running before it was too late? How they had tried to steer her away from what her parents said. She'd never listened to them though when she should have. She had never wanted too, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the truth out of fear. Her parents couldn't have found a more willing and blinded fool._

_How could she let them do this too her?_

_The room became stuffy then and she felt like she was suffocating she needed to get out to get her breath back, to get her mind back, she just needed something._

_Before she even knew it her feet were moving and everything was blurry, her lashes cold, wet. … She was crying._

* * *

**_Chapter VI_**

**_Shedding Skin Is Second Nature._**

_The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning**.**_

_-_ _Ivy Baker_

* * *

They watched as the sun began to fade slowly in the sky and Alec took a breath as he felt his body come back to life, the minutes were ticking and he was becoming anxious, soon they'd be allowed to go outside and do as they pleased.

This was a norm for them, finding ways to keep themselves entertained during the day hours until the darkness set in, it was as if they had an alarm set in their bodies letting them know when the night was too fall. When it was safe to come out and play.

"She's still not here … Are you still going to agree with Aro about her coming back?" Jane asked miserably as she leaned casually upon the marble chess board. He lifted a brow at his sister; it was odd to hear her of all people not agreeing with Aro on something. Ever since Isabella Cullen entered their lives his sister seemed to distance herself from Aro. Now that Renesmee Cullen had come to Volterra she'd started once more this time not trying to hide her thoughts or feelings about either Renesmee Cullen or Aro.

"Jane why do you act like a hag when dealing with the Olympic coven? That I know of they've never done anything to you specifically and they've done nothing to me, especially Renesmee Cullen she's nothing more than a mere child and yet you continue to act like this."

She turned her face away from him and her nose scrunched up in anger and he knew that this was something she was not willing to share with him. "Does it truly matter you'll still continue to do what you wish with her. … And don't you dare use her being a virgin as an excuse we both know you're just saying that." She replied nastily.

He wasn't sure if he should find his sisters anger amusing or annoying, either way it could be a problem and they didn't need problems within the coven and he was the only one that could help when it came to his sister. Still though the fact that she knew him so well was never a good thing he needed to distract her from such things. "Her being a virgin is a problem … unlike her father I don't substain from human blood and because she's half human I could end up accidentally killing her … Thus creating a true war between us and the Cullen's and we really don't need that right now."

She slammed her hands against the chessboard as snarled at him. "In the year two-thousand-twenty when Demetri and Nahuel finally tracked down his father and found his sisters dead Carlisle found in his examinations of the female half-breeds that they do not have hymens like human beings because they can in fact breed with our kind peacefully. So don't you dare try to lie to me brother."

Well it seemed she had been paying attention at the examination, who would have thought she actually cared at all. Still she was not allowing the conversation to revert back to its original subject. He waved his hand to wave off her words as he spoke. "None of that matters, nor do I care about any of that. … I just want to know why you hate them so much, it's not hard to give me an answer."

She glared at him as she stood up from her position. "You're right none of it matters now I will be on my way." With that she was gone.

Ever since Isabella and Alice Cullen came to Volterra Jane had been a complete tyrant and she was throwing fits like a spoiled child. He'd heard on many occasions from many others that they'd over heard the elders of their coven talking about her and that worried him.

While he knew that Jane was safe from persecution specifically because Aro and the other two were afraid of her it didn't mean that she was safe from punishment and they had never had to go through any sort of punishment being _them_ and if his sister kept up her act he worried about what was to come for them.

Them because as always he would come to his sisters aid no matter what predicament she got herself into and he would not hold it against her because they were blood and no matter how many people considered themselves coven mates they didn't have what he and Jane had.

"Why I don't believe I'd ever think it possible is dearest Jane actually mad at you?"

Corin, just his luck that the vampire would come his way to do whatever it was he did. Shaking the fear down from his system and shoving it to the back of his mind he turned to the blonde vampire. "Corin, I had not been expecting you." He replied casually, he didn't need him to know that he was bugged by his presence.

He'd have to have one of the maids do a thorough clean of the room in order to remove all traces of the vampire. "No you wouldn't have either. … So problem's with the girl?" He asked with a smirk.

"Anything between Jane and I is exactly that Corin. … Now if you would excuse me I have some business to attend to." Really he didn't, but he wasn't rude, Aro taught him better than that.

"About the Cullen? Yes I heard that she had run off, I heard from the others that she was seen near the border of Slovenia earlier this afternoon. Such a shame I had really been hoping to get to know her, she seemed like a very interesting person." He replied smoothly.

Well he obviously didn't find the need to hide his thoughts about things. "Yes. … From the conversation I had with her earlier today she did seem like an interesting person. So interesting Corin that I had suggested to Aro that she have an escort with her at all times. I will also be putting in a request with Aro to be the one in charge of picking her guard as well." He responded. If Corin was going to be straightforward then he would as well.

"Well then, I'll make sure that I sign up for it … I am one of the better suited for the position after all." He had never thought that Corin could have this much personality to him. He'd always come off so dreary, obviously the youngest Cullen brought out the … _character_ in him.

Stepping towards the taller vampire he spoke. "What exactly are you doing Corin? Last I remember you don't feel, you don't want, you only see food and the hybrid isn't a full-blooded human meaning you out of all people can't feed from her. So why are you so interested in her? Unless you think your maker would find her as a suitable present? But even then … her gift isn't all that special. .. It wouldn't help you at all."

There was a grin as he looked down at him. "You all truly don't see why Aro is so nice to her do you. … And here I thought you were the smart one out of the Elite." He looked him up and down before he spoke again. "Pity … I had really hoped that you were as special as Aro perceives you to be." Before he could give the blonde another thought he was gone.

Now he was really bugged, Corin was up to something and he wasn't being quiet about it. Then he finds out that there's more to the Cullen than he had originally thought, especially since Corin had in fact been right. Aro wasn't nice to anybody but the Elite and his brothers and their respective mates, yet here he was doing everything in his power to keep a hybrid content, when not too long ago he had been treating the male hybrid as if he were a lab rat.

… Something was definitely wrong here.

* * *

It's possible to know exactly what it feels like to be a broken mirror, the missing pieces, the uneven jagged edges, the miniscule cracks and the vastly evident cracks, and the mismatched image that is reflected back.

That's not all you feel though, there's also the feeling of your insides burning white hot and liquefying and your skin hurts and aches in a way you never thought possible. How about the feeling of someone trying to rip off all your limbs at the same time? … And your heart?

That's a completely different pain all together it's beating so slowly, so viciously against your ribcage, your chest as you try to take easy less painful breaths into your body and exhale them just as slowly as you know it's beating.

What about your mind? You head? How does that feel? It feels like it could explode at any moment and it's all fuzzy and your skull feels like it's ready to crack and all your warning alarms are going off in there and you wish they would stop but they can't and noise and thoughts hurt more than anything right now.

This is what it's like when your imprinted is ripped away from you and yet their right in front of you at the same time it's not right, you know something is not right with how all this feels. Yet it's happening.

"Hey buddy how you feeling?" Jacob heard from his perch on the cliff where Bella once stood upon with thoughts of the vampire.

Seth even at thirty two years old was still one of the only two people he'd come to know who had not imprinted upon someone; he could not understand what he was going through without experiencing it himself. It wasn't fair though Seth and Leah were the only ones within their kind that had yet to imprint.

There was a groan and in the corner of his eye he watched as Seth's youthful face frowned down at the sight below their hanging feet. "I have a theory."

He didn't reply it was too painful to talk right now. "Leah and me are special you see. … Leah is the only female that has yet to become part of us. … And I still hold the cup of being the only one of us to phase at fourteen. My theory is that Leah may not need to imprint. From what Carlisle has deducted from his little experimentations on us he believes that the reason we imprint is for survival. We, and I truly mean shifters in general need to find females that carry that specific gene within them to produce shifters."

"Wolves." He corrected.

"Not according to those Volturi guys. … Doesn't matter. … Leah is a female and already is a shifter meaning there's a high possibility that she already carries that gene in her all she needs is a willing donor to help her … mate? … God that just gave me a disgusting picture." He could literally feel the shiver that emitted from Seth's body. "So basically that could be the reason why she hasn't imprinted yet … We'll see though … She might be pregnant … She's yet to confirm it and has yet to tell me who she's been seeing so yeah. …"

That didn't explain the part why Sam hadn't imprinted on her still or why he hadn't imprinted on anyone yet. "What about you?"

" …. Carlisle believes that puberty is a big thing with our people. So according to him because I was still going through the whole puberty stage when I first fazed unlike you all who had already finished with puberty by the time you first shifted you already had gotten all that testosterone and progesterone … sex hormones while I might not have gotten all of it."

"English." He never thought he'd feel like he was back in sex education barely understanding anything ever again. There was a chuckle from Seth before he spoke. "To dumb it down Carlisle believes that there's a possibility that we are all born with the gene to produce shifters with any human female we choose. During puberty though we might burn that gene out of our bodies."

"Why doesn't Carlisle know if this is a true fact or not? With all the blood he's taken from us you'd think he'd know by now." The conversation was beginning to make the pain fade, or maybe he was too distracted to notice it was there.

"It's because I asked him not to test his theories."

Turning to his younger friend he watched as he turned away. "They may not be human anymore but they are still people. … Carlisle understands what it would mean if me and Leah are capable of choosing who we want to be with."

It would mean they would be out-casted more than they already were for being part of his pack, more than they already were for being one of the youngest to shift and the only female to ever shift.

They would be the only ones allowed to have a life outside the reservation. "I'm eager to know ... but scared at the same time … I'd have to find someone that I don't need to buy with gifts. I'd have to find someone that's gonna understand and accept me for what I am. … Sometimes I wish I could be a normal shifter, things may be easier."

"You'd rather be in agony than choose someone of your own choosing?"

He hadn't meant for it to come out so cruel but it had. "Leah has a theory." "Of course everyone has a theory." "She believes that the imprint is one –sided … that and … well I'm not exactly sure but she believes and this is a very long shot but … It's possible that you hadn't imprinted upon Renesmee herself but Bella and that's why you're going through all this pain. You see Leah believes that after Bella gave birth her life essence had transferred to Renesmee and because she's half human and her biology is only a few drops short of our own she can in fact produce heirs. … What I'm about to say is still confusing to me but here we go. Puberty once more okay. Renesmee was going through growth spurts up until she was seven years old. Yes … But she didn't actually reach full maturity until she was actually twelve … I think …. Anyhow she might be like me in this factor and may have possibly … If possible at all burned off Bella's human essence and that is what may be confusing all of us here … Then there's the psychological part where Leah said that you may have felt this but tuned it our or something and that when Renesmee … _rejected _you, you had a belated reaction to loosing that essence. … I don't know how I see it is that three energies clashes and this is the end result."

"What do you mean by energies?" Maybe he had a better and more understandable '_theory'._

Seth smiled softly. "I think what happened is that when you actually looked upon Renesmee when she had been born your body did have the intentions of imprinting upon her and her alone, but somehow maybe Leah was right Bella's life essence may have transferred and it was that energy that you imprinted upon because it was in fact fighting against Renesmee's energy to be connected with. At some point though that energy left leaving us with Renesmee's and this is the late reaction. Your dying because Bella's technically dead but the body that has the gene as well is still alive which is Renesmee who is god knows where and that is why you are still alive because Renesmee is alive."

So much easier to understand. "I'm letting you know my thoughts. This could all very well be a strong imprint being rejected the wrong way or something I'm not sure okay."

He was trying to make him not mad and amazingly he wasn't mad, he understood completely and he could never be angry at someone like Seth, it wasn't possible, Seth was the one person that everyone could befriend and never be angry at.

"Seriously though how are you feeling?" Seth asked with genuine concern. Well how did he feel … Well he was pretty sure that if the walking dead existed … the ones that weren't leeches or cannibals then he would be one of them.

"That bad huh?" Seth continued as he reached into his cargos and pulled out a bottle of what looked to be black water and handed it to him. "The witch doctor came by looking for you earlier said to give you this to help ease the pain some."

"Are you sure the old man didn't mean it would put me out of my misery?" He asked as he stared at the bottle of liquid. Seth stared back at him with that all knowing look as he spoke. "He's crazy but he's not an idiot. You're a Black and you're an alpha he knows what would happen if he went after you or anyone you loved."

"I'm taking your word for it." He replied as he popped the cork, the smell of peppermint invaded his nostrils then. Carefully he sipped it; the liquid was thin and tasted of peppermint and nothing at the same time. In the next instant he took the entire vile in one gulp.

His stomach didn't agree with the action and twisted in a painful way, he moaned and Seth looked to be ready to help him in any way possible. The gut-wrenching pain seemed to dissipate then and he sat up straight, placing a hand on Seth's shoulder he spoke. "It's alright."

Taking inventory of his body he found that the previous pain caused by Renesmee's departure had become nothing more than an annoying feeling that he couldn't truly shake off but didn't find painful at all and could easily forget about. "I'm alright." He stated with a small sigh.

He was alright, with a clear head he could figure things out.

* * *

A breath, her body felt weightless and alive, groggily her eyes fluttered open and she found herself in an uncomfortable position and it was hot, too hot for her hundred and five Fahrenheit body. Her head was pounding away as it tried to remember all of the events that had happened over the short time span. Her hair had come out of its place and pieces were hanging out all about, some even at odd angles.

Grasping onto the material of the seat to lift herself up, she looked around and found that she was in a tiny bubble car, or something similar to one and her surroundings did not look anything like what she was used to. Automatically she turned to look at her watch and found that it was eight fifty in the morning it seemed, it must have been wrong. Looking about herself once more she stared up at the clear sky seeing the moon. It couldn't be seen at this time of day.

In the back of her mind she could hear a tiny voice call out to her and she stopped moving, everything was out of balance still and she needed to breathe and get her bearings together.

Then it hit her, her brain finally seemed to catch up to her body and she groaned, this was not what she had wanted. Thinking happy thoughts she looked around herself hoping maybe she could figure something out.

"Okay Renesmee, let's see where we are." She said to herself as she finally got out of her car. Her mother would tell her it was an idiot idea to leave the car and while she would agree with her mother vocally, mentally her brain always seemed to laugh at such a thought.

She was half vampire what could hurt her exactly? Turning to look behind her she found more mountains and green scenery. Should she go backwards and back to the Volturi?

Or should she go forwards and try to find something that led forward? "Hmmm. … Red brick road or the yellow brick road Renesmee?" She asked herself as she looked at her reflection on the car window.

"Well if we go back we have to deal with the past. …. But if we go forward we deal with the future. … hmm tough choice, tough choice." She continued as she fixed herself up. Her lipstick had seemed to sink into her lips and fade slightly in color and she sighed, it didn't look right.

Past or future what was today's date anyhow? Well seems like she needed to figure it out. Looking back into the car and staring at the radio she found a charging phone and while she should call for some sort of help, who was she too call?

Just check the date and figure everything else out first. "You left on your birthday that was early evening. You got to Italy on the twelfth, at sometime … you spent the day shopping for supplies in Florence and that would mean that today should be …." Pressing on the phone she found that her assumption of the date was correct.

It was the thirteenth of September. "As always your correct Renesmee … So now what do we do? Red brick road or Yellow brick road?" Well what did each road predict?

Well according to the wizard of oz, the yellow brick road would get her to the wizard, who could help her get home. Back home to what she had only ever known. The red road though, no one had ever said what the red brick road led to. They also didn't say whether it lead to the wicked witch of the east directly and she didn't know just yet who the wicked witch of the east was in her life.

While she would say Jane she couldn't point fingers just yet, even if the little blonde would like nothing more than to wear her guts as a scarf.

So that would mean that the yellow brick road led to home and the red brick road led to the unknown. "What to do, what to do?" She said as she looked to the land in front of her with a smile on her face.

Well she'd already had started this way might as well continue on, it might lead her to whatever she was looking for.

* * *

"You want to send a search party out for her? What happened to her for sure coming back this way?"

Aro sighed as he walked out of the library and into the study to find Caius waiting for him. "Yes brother, I was speaking with the book and it advised that it would be more wiser to go and check on her."

Caius seemed to want to argue but Aro was quick to continue. "No matter whom I would've sent it wouldn't have mattered, the book has spoken and it's always given us the best outcomes. When we were given it we were promised more power and with it came Alec and Jane and we got the power and rule we were promised I see no reason to give it any questioning, if it suggest to send someone to check in on her and figure out where exactly she is and whether she's safe or not then I will take its advice. That is the end of the discussion."

He could see in his younger brothers eyes that he wanted to continue fighting but seemed to be running it through his mind. Caius had always been smart, but his quick temper and attitude would be the downfall of him and he had to wonder how he would have survived had he never met Athenodora.

"Have you figured out what you are to do about the Cullen's then? You can't continue any longer to ignore the rumors spreading about them. … they could be traitors and yet you are too blinded by your trust in Carlisle that you still don't see that he may be planning on betraying you to keep him and his _family_ out of the war. … They know something and you and Marcus refuse to summon them. You refuse to act like we should be."

He was lashing out, angry, at times like these he had wished his beloved sister was still with them, she would have come in handy for such purposes … shame really. "Brother. … I understand that you are irritated. I can completely understand you do not see through my eyes and you will never see through my eyes. Here me out though; Carlisle has never given me any reason to question his loyalty to us, to our rules. Renesmee Cullen has been able to recite our oath since before she was a year old. The very concept that Carlisle would betray us is blasphemy. … Besides … Have you forgotten what could have happened the last time we accused him of allowing Edward and Isabella into creating a mortal child, they had support. Other covens that were willing to fight had that Psychic and the half-breed not shown up in time."

The very thought sent his mind reeling recalling what he'd not wanted to happen, they would have lost valuable immortals in that fight and not just his own, it seemed that day he'd come to find that the other covens were being secretive and coveting their prize pieces … even Eleazar.

He had never thought that Eleazar of all people would have kept something like that girl from him. … now she had a mate that was willing to keep her on the _vegetarian _track. They still kept in touch though even after the confrontation.

"We could have taken care of them. … They were outnumbered and Alec could've found a weak point in the Cullen's shield we just needed a little time and now we have gathered more physically strong members we could easily put them down."

The fool he truly was, hot headed and unseeing as always. "Is it surprising to you to believe that we wouldn't have survived that fight? They Cullens aren't afraid to fight and even though their lifestyle makes them physically less capable compared to us they are talented when it comes to a fight, they train just like we do, and they have support, others willing to die for any cause the Cullen's think is worth dying over. … and their pets, those shifters. … Were capable of killing nearly a whole newborn army … some of their first kills and just imagine how strong they must have become over the years. … They too are willing to die for the Cullen's … their _friends_."

He needed to stop speaking, he needed to stop thinking this was all just Caius getting under his skin and allowing the younger vampire to cause a reaction. "My orders are still the same, keep away from the Olympic coven."

Caius smirked at him haughtily as he asked. "Does that extend to the mutt as well?" Oh his dear brother had now resorted to name-calling and at a young girl that was nowhere near their own age. Truly sometimes he wondered why he ever allowed Caius to join them; this side of him was truly pathetic.

"You are in no way to interfere with Renesmee while she is here in our care, I hear anything about you ordering the other's into hurting her I promise you there will be a punishment to be served." The youngest Cullen was going to have enough problems with the other members because of her family, then with her being a half-breed the others would try to break her and she didn't need a jealous and arrogant Elder adding to her problems.

Caius as he reassessed the younger vampire seemed to be thinking something out in that revenge filled mind of his. He should worry, but he didn't, one word with Athenodora and he was sure that this would be resolved before the two ever saw each other again.

"If that is all then brother I'd appreciate it if you leave me to myself for the rest of this day … and possibly tomorrow. I'll be in my chambers I would appreciate it if you would not bother me." Hopefully the fair-haired brother would understand what he was saying seeing as he was not in mood to deal with anyone walking in while he was with his precious Sulpicia.

He didn't want to kill off an innocent bystander just because they hadn't been informed about anything. "Of course then, well if you need me I'll be in the tower."

He frowned at that. Of course Caius would decide to not wait in the throne room for anything or anyone. Well, he truly didn't want to be in there either, it had been to long since he'd been able to spend time with his beloved wife …. And Marcus never listened to him anymore.

When Demetri got back he'd get the message that he was in charge until further notice. They'd just have to hope Jane didn't go mad when realizing she'd have to take care of things till the older vampire and her brother got back from tracking down Renesmee.

Turning away from his brother he walked out of the room, he really hated having to do everything himself, all he wanted today was to spend some time with his most beloved.

* * *

"Well look at that she ditched the car." Alec shook his head as he watched Demetri look around the car before shutting the door. "Let's call this in, have the others take this back and clean this up." Alec replied.

"I can't get an angle on her." Demetri replied softly with a sigh at the end as he pulled out his cellphone. Alec nodded his head in response knowing that Demetri was depressed that someone had easily figured out his abilities weak point.

Yes Demetri's ability had a weak point, like most unique vampires there was a weak point to their abilities. Edward Cullen and Aro couldn't read shields; Jane and his own ability didn't apply to them as well. The psychic Alice Cullen supposedly was reported to not be able to see the future when it involved any creature that wasn't a vampire or human. Heidi was incapable of influencing shields as well as any sort of blood bonds or strong bonds. Even Marcus was in this boat, if the subjects of his ability were good actors he wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a fake relationship and a true one.

Demetri's was quiet interesting though, his ability allowed him to capture onto the tenure of one's mind. Unfortunately, if the target of their hunt was thoughtless at some point during a hunt, they'd completely lose their scent and have to resort to the old ways of tracking.

Thankfully though, no one actually knew about this besides the higher-ups. They would be in serious trouble if that were the case, and the Volturi would be nothing by now.

"It seems like her scent is leading further into the country though." He continued on as he started walking further down the road. "So do you think we've got ourselves a problem here?" Demetri asked softly as he started walking down the road, following the scent.

"With what?" He wondered why so many people seemed to come to him with questions such as these. "The Cullen. … Doesn't it seem a bit to coincidental that she seemed to appear not even a day before Aro's spy stopped by with news on the Ancients?"

True it was a bit too coincidental that she popped up the same time the Ancients decided to start moving about, but she was a Cullen and while they were brave and willing to do anything that would protect them. They weren't idiots, not at all actually, Aro had always said that Carlisle Cullen was a genius that has yet to be surpassed by anyone. His progeny were smart in their own way as well, nothing compared to him, but they were smart … Well at the least Edward Cullen and Jasper Hale were, the others, while smart were … odd.

Then there was Renesmee Cullen and there wasn't a question to how smart that girl was, he'd heard from many of the vampires that had dropped in to check in on her during the years that she was an incredibly fast learner that didn't quite seem to fit with her small and youthful body. They called her girl and child though, all of them, even the newborns would call her that, and he could understand, they said the same thing about Jane because of her inexperience with the males of their species and her inability to differentiate conversing and flirting, brilliant mind his sister had but she didn't understand anything beyond what she was taught about being a vampire and how to protect and control herself.

Renesmee Cullen on the other hand knew the difference and that was interesting to note. He'd never really had gotten the chance to see her after the confrontation in the States with her coven all those years ago, but even then it seemed that many of the males within her coven, her family seemed to be highly over protective with her. The very thought of someone trying to flirt with the Halfling was madness. Vampires were territorial and highly protective of the females within their colonies, no outsider would have been capable of teaching her such differences. He even doubted that her own family would allow her to learn the differences, her parents were said to be far too overprotective with the subjects she was learning.

He knew though that for the few years that the Cullen's had stayed in Volterra during the examinations of the hybrid's that the youngest Cullen wasn't with them the entire time and Aro and Demetri were reluctant to go after her for some reason and were just as secretive about saying where she was during that time.

And the Cullen's hardly if ever left Volterra during their stay that he could remember, this could have been the time where she learned such things, it would make more sense, and it would also mean that it was with someone the Cullen's trusted.

While he'd like to try and figure out who it was, he wasn't one to wonder on such silly things, whom taught her how to flirt or anything of the sort was of no concern to him. He could actually say it wasn't the reeking dog that followed the Cullen's everywhere, him and his _pack_ had been with the Cullen's during their stay and it had taken nearly a whole year for their stench to finally fade away. His mind did take note that the bitch of the pack that had been at the confrontation had not been with them when they'd stayed meaning that they had been keeping watch wherever she had gone, meaning they didn't trust the person completely.

That was interesting; he was truly contemplating on such thoughts all because of a simple question that needed simple thinking and a simple answer. … Well, he could actually say that he didn't mind this new way of life at all.

"It is quite the coincidence although she's a Cullen, they believe themselves to be better than ourselves because of their preference against killing humans … To side with the ancients would be a complete contradictory to what they believe in as well as they would gain nothing from such a alliance."

Demetri nodded his head in understanding. "What if the ancients had something on them?" Alec paused in his steps as he turned to the older vampire. Really was he becoming just as paranoid as Caius? He didn't really know how to comfort his brother this time though, he could only speak of what he knew and felt. He just hoped he didn't seem mocking.

"Now that is laughable, the notion that the ancients decided to take the time out and come out of hiding just to get some spies, especially of the variety that don't want anything to do with us. … Besides if we couldn't figure out anything about them that they didn't want out in the open then I highly doubt the Ancients could."

He nodded, perhaps agreeing, he hoped so, they didn't need any more madmen running around."You're right, I'm just being silly." Demetri replied softly.

"True, but you're in the right to ponder such questions, while it is in the realms of possibilities that Aro's most appreciated companion could have been turned, the probability of that actually happening, is slim, the Cullen's are brave and stand up for what they believe in and are willing to die for such notions as well as Carlisle wouldn't give up Aro just because the ancients have anything on them, just like we know that Aro would have never destroyed Carlisle that day in Washington, his coven yes, but not Carlisle. They have some sort of understanding of each other and if Aro says we trust them, we trust them."

He truly hoped that what he said was true, these days anybody could turn over to the side they believed would win. This would cause much heartbreak and outrage when the traitors revealed themselves though.

* * *

There was nothing, just a tar made road and nothingness, there were mountains, lots of mountains and there was grass, lots, and lots of grass and then there was open space. … Lots and lots and lots of open space. Really one would think there was too much open space.

Then it happened, it was barely there, and if she had been human she would have never smelled it, it was sweet and harsh at the same time and as she focused closer on the scent she could smell something she was far more familiar with.

Spicy and warm and a grass like taste and very bitter, nothing comparable to the first juicy scent. Her feet found themselves moving fast and it was like a small itch on her head as her senses kicked into hyper drive.

When her senses hit overload with the scent of sweet, warm red liquid nearby she forced herself to stop. There in front of her eyes, beyond the valley and mountains and placed squarely in the corner of two mountains was a village, a town that was filled with full warm-blooded humans.

Moments like these made her wonder how her mom had ever been capable of restraining herself from slaughtering all of the citizens of Forks. She wasn't full vampire and to be completely truthful if she hadn't been raised in a family like her own, she was positive that reminding herself that they were her ancestors would have never worked to keep her contained.

She wasn't actually hungry though, not at all, the scent though it was so good it made her mouth water and it seemed to trigger something in her that made her seem hungry. She was thankful when that scent of fresh animal seeped into the air again; it was a good reminder of her beliefs.

She followed the spicy scent into the town, she knew that as she walked amongst the full-blooded that they stared at her with curious and mesmerized eyes, her face, that natural allure of her vampire blood was hypnotizing them, her smell had caught into their noses and she knew they would be her personal slaves if she spoke any words to them. She ignored them though, eighteen years of attention like this was normal by now, she'd figured out ways to dismiss them.

Focusing on the scent she walked down the cobblestone street intent on finding that scent.

She knew the rules of the Volturi and while she wasn't a hunter of humans, it would be a thing to talk about amongst the humans if she started hunting in Italy.

So when she came to a stop in front of the butcher shop she knew it to be true luck. There were laws and she had to obey the laws, no hunting in Volterra and if you weren't crazy no hunting in Italy. She knew from stories that Aro sent his huntsman long distances to bring in their … _sustenance. _

So she had to obey those rules, her own family didn't like hunting so much in their own backyard and it made sense. To many missing animals would cause some questions they didn't want people asking, so they had to travel out of state for their hunts sometimes. The rules still applied, but she knew that she couldn't just start hunting, especially when she'd never gone on a hunt by herself; there was a reason why they hunted in pairs instead of on their own.

When it came to feeding one could get caught up and someone could find them. It could turn into a big mess after that.

She only needed the blood anyway and from what she knew there was no law against selling the blood. She had funds and it wasn't like she couldn't pay them off to keep quiet as well.

Opening the door the first thing she heard was the chime of the tiny bell. There was a yell from the back of the shop as she waited for someone to appear she looked around the shop.

Surprisingly it was a charming little shop, the owners obviously cared much about the presentation of their products and by the scent they also cared about the quality as well.

As she turned to the display of different meats, she found that behind the counter was an array of different wines. Looking back to the meats she wondered if she could name the animals by the scent. Before she could begin though a man walked out of the back speaking quickly and a bit robotically.

"Pozdravljeni, ali je še kaj morem ... kako pomagam?"

'_What did he just say?' _She took a moment to try and remember all the languages she had learned over the years and she found that she did remember taking a crash course in Slovenian. _Hello is there anything I can help you with?_

He called out to her once more and she could hear the concern in his voice for her as she had yet to answer him.

"_Gospodična je vse v redu?" _He had asked if she was alright, sometimes she wondered how Americans came to be so incredibly hostile while other countries were warm.

"Yes, of course." He looked at her then as he came to realize she was American. She repeated the sentence once more in his tongue though. "da."

"Ah … You're an American." He said with a sigh. This time though as he moved to the back of the counter she actually looked at the man. He was fairly good looking, even for a human and she could even call him beautiful. While he was young, he wasn't exactly old either, he looked to be around the same age Demetri was physically, he was tall to, with black gelled hair that was short and flawless sunkissed skin. His eyes were almost to pretty to be real the color of sapphires and his lips were enviously plumped and perfectly shaped. He had a supermodels bone structure and she was absolutely impressed, someone had procreated very, very well.

"So what can I help you with Miss?" He asked again this time in her own language.

She was surprised by how well he spoke English and wondered if he had spent time in the States.

"Your English is very good." She commented unconsciously. He seemed annoyed as he replied smoothly. "My parents were adamant that I learned. … Now is there anything I can help you with?"

'_Rude much?'_ Now she wondered how she was going to ask this without coming off weird.

Actually she might as well just be blunt about it, the request was just plain out weird so might as well just jump into it.

"Do you sell animal blood here?" He lifted a perfectly dark brow at her question as he spoke.

"Animal blood?" "Yes, animal blood. Do you sell it or should I take my business elsewhere?" She spoke confidently; she wasn't feeling it on the inside though.

He placed his hands up defensively as he spoke. "We've never been asked before, but if you want to buy it, I will sell it…. How much do you want?" He asked as he turned to look inside some book of his.

"I'm not going to buy today. …Are you the owner of this shop?" He smiled then and while he was beautiful his smile wasn't as beautiful, not that it was ugly or anything, it just pulled away from the allure of his beauty.

"I am … So if you're not going to buy then what are you doing here?" He asked as he placed his full attention on her as he leaned against the counter.

This kind of intense attention was really impressive, without her family around, the male population seemed to become much more up front with her.

"I was just wondering if there was any way we could come to some agreement. See I need that animal blood, and you … you're a businessman. I have money you could have and you have product I want. … I'm sure you get the gist of this."

"Can I ask why you want it?" She leaned forward letting him get a whiff of that vampire scent of hers. His impressive gem colored eyes dilated and darkened just a bit then as she replied in a hushed tone. "What I do with the blood I buy from you is my business … let us leave it like that."

"Just to make sure, you're not going to use it for any creepy ritual right?" She wanted to laugh at that as she replied with a smile. "Nope no creepy rituals."

He leaned further in then as he asked his next question and she smirked at him before she replied. "No pretending to be a vampire." "Nope no pretending."

She pushed away from the counter then as she started up again. "I'm willing to pay for one gallon. I will call you on the day I will be coming to pick it up and I will not deal with anyone other than you. … And you will not speak a word to this to anyone. … And in return for your discretion you will be compensated."

"For someone so young you are truly a serious person." He commented. She decided not to comment on that. "Do we have an agreement or not?" She asked.

He rubbed his temples as he spoke again. "Can I at least have the name of my mysterious business associate?"

She was going to say something snarky but stopped before any words could make it out. Throughout this entire time she had never told him her name and she had never gotten his own.

"It's Renesmee." She replied softly. "No family name Miss Renesmee? Not that your name isn't beautiful like yourself, but don't you belong to a family."

How does she respond to that? "To you it's only Renesmee." "Mysterious. … But okay Renesmee it is." He replied with sparkling eyes.

"And yours?" She asked. He smiled again at her and she found despite the fact that the smile didn't suite him, it was still nice to see. "Casimir Alexy. .. Owner of this fine establishment."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Alexy." She said as she reached out to shake his hand. He took it and instead of shaking he pulled it towards his lips and kissed it softly as he replied. "It is a pleasure meeting you as well mysterious Renesmee."

Mysterious Renesmee? She liked it. "Now Miss Renesmee, I have another customer to attend to was there anything else I could help you with then?"

Well actually she should call her family while she was away from the Volturri. "Yes actually could I use your phone?"

He smiled again as he walked her towards a door to the side and opened the door for her. "My office is all yours." He said before leaving her to herself.

As the door clicked shut she realized that she had made the final decision in staying with the Volturi as she had just made arrangements for her own sustenance. Sighing she walked over to the old wood desk and sat down in the leather worn chair.

The office had obviously been owned by other people as the design was more older than the elegant shop on the other side of the door.

She sat down though and stared down at the old designed phone. She'd never seen a design as it, while it was cordless it looked bulky compared to the slim and comfortable designs that were now in style.

Before she lost the courage she dialed her home number and waited with bated breath as it rung. She didn't have to wait long either as she heard the sound of people fighting over the phone.

"…. Mom?"

"_Renesmee!"_ two voices shouted into the phone. She knew that voice and she stuttered a bit as she finally said the name. "… Vladmir?" She knew she must have sounded like a mouse then.

"_Give that to me you insolent child!" _Wow she'd never thought she'd hear Vladimir talk like that to her mother before, usually it was always Stephan that did the talking when it came to her parents and her. Now she knew why.

"_Renesmee! Sweetie, where are you? Are you alright? Just tell us where you are sweetie so we can come get you?" _Of course straight to the let's get her back and finish this wedding before she really does something crazy.

There was a growl on the other line and then it was Vladimir who's voice sounded through the phone. _"Renesmee where are you" _His accent was thick then and she knew when his accent was deepened that it meant trouble.

"… Can you give my mom the phone?" She asked and she really felt like a timid mouse, he always made her feel like a mouse.

"_Renesmee sweetheart where are you?" _She had asked in her usual monotone voice, she wondered if her mother was ever capable of using a different tone of voice.

"It doesn't matter where I am. … I just wanted to let you know that I'm alright."

"_Renesmee you need to tell us where you are so we can get you, it's not safe out there, you're not safe out there, you need to come home."_

"Mama … I'm not going back." She'd be a fool to go back when she'd made it this far, fact was, she'd never actually been away from their watchful eyes. Besides, since she'd arrived in Volterra she'd noticed the glares and the way the full-_blooded_ vampires seemed to look down on her, it wasn't very hard to see it, especially with the females within the coven besides the Chelsea, Sulpicia and Athenodora. She couldn't hide from their prejudice eyes either and she knew deep down that if she did she'd end up becoming just as paranoid as her mother.

It was funny but had it not been for Jane and the others like her, she'd have never realized that her family they weren't just her shelter they were her fortress, her own personal glamorous prison. She couldn't just go back to the way things were before after figuring out that.

"Mama … I'm sorry, I can't go back I'm in over my head right now and I'll completely loose the little bit of me that I have to myself if I did go back. I'm not doing this to hurt you I just need to be by myself right now."

There was only complete silence on the other line, but when her mother did talk she sounded desperate. _"I understand Nessie. … If you come back home though we could help you, and maybe after we fix everything and if you want too you could do this properly."_ The words _'with Jacob' _were hanging in the air. She sighed. '_I gave it my best at least.'_ "Mama I need time and space away from everyone. … I have to do this without you and everyone else watching me."

"_Nessie"_ Her mother began and she didn't let her continue knowing that her mother would say and do anything to get her back home. "Mama, please, I need this. I don't want people telling me what I want or need anymore. … So please I'm eighteen years old, I'm not a child anymore."

There was a huff on the other side and she knew that her mother wasn't happy with what she was saying, despite her mother incapable of showing any emotions there were signs when her mother was annoyed or angry, little one's but her mother seemed to have a program installed within her that kept her from actually expressing them. _"Renesmee."_ She started. She said her first name, no pet names or nicknames meant she was annoyed.

"_Come back home."_ There was no pleading, no begging, no desperation in her tone it was just emotionless. There was a thumping in her head and she knew it was the beginning of horrible headache. "Mama. … Please, please just stop you can't tie me up and hold onto me forever. … It's just becoming too much." She was gonna break she could feel it, the burn from the oncoming tears was there. _"Renesmee Carlie Cullen." _"What?!" She said cried. "What do you want from me? You've taken everything I've got to give there's nothing left anymore, I'm all …. You've used me up. … So please just stop trying to control me … just stop."

The damn finally seemed to break as she felt the first tear slide down her heated face. "It's all too much now and you don't even know what you and Jacob and daddy and everyone are doing to me."

"_Do you even realize what your little stunt has done to Jacob? Your father? Me?" _As always it always circled back to her, she was the most important one in the family.

She wondered if her mother even cared that she was unhappy, that because of her she didn't truly know what it meant to know what true happiness was. Or that sometimes she got had episodes where she was in a paranoid state? Or even that she refused to cry because she knew her mother would not be happy make her feel bad for not being happy. She didn't even want to go into the problems she had because of her father and Jacob.

"Oh mama. … I'm sorry for making this harder on you then, this is just how it has to be though. You need to listen to me when I say that I am not doing this to hurt you, but right now I just fed up with you. Like I said before I'm not a child anymore and I need to go my own now."

She should have just hang up then as her mother began talking again. _"Renesmee, come back home." _She was being demanding now, her tone of voice might not have changed but she could hear the order in the simple words.

Now she was just plain annoyed. "No." _"What?" _"I said no I'm not going to let you dominate every aspect of my life anymore, I'm not going to listen or even try to explain things anymore. I'm not some doll that you can play with and then put up until a later time!" _calm down Renesmee. _She rubbed her head in frustration as the thumping continued to go on. "Just keep yourself far, far, away from me I'll go back home when I'm ready."

"_Renesmee Carlie Cullen" _Again her mother was cut off this time from her own side as she heard the distinct voice of Vladimir come through the speaker. _"Renesmee."_ He started. "Vladimir." She acknowledged. _"Where are you? Tell me where you are so I can get you. … You can come with me back to Romania." _Yes go back to the place where her family will find her and drag her back to Washington or wherever they'll be by then. "Sorry but I can't."

There was a sigh and she knew by the shushing sound that he was rubbing his head in agitation then. He spoke then in an unemotional tone, something that she'd never known him capable of. So she was completely struck speechless by what he said._"… Fine then, you want to do this go right ahead I hope you have you can fend for yourself out there, I'll be truthful and say that I've seen what the world is like and know how wild it can be, so take good care."_

"_What the hell are you doing?! Give me that! Renesmee!" _Crap her mother was back on. "As much as I love having someone tell me what to do and think I refuse to listen to you anymore, so instead of wasting my time I think it's time for you to go by love you." She said hurriedly before she hung up the phone.

Sighing she rubbed her head again, hopefully the thumping would go away. There was a knock on the door and she watched as the beautiful shop owner walked in. "You look comfortable."

"I was up and till I made a call." She replied annoyed. She wasn't annoyed with him but with herself and her mother and Vladimir, she'd never heard him like that, he'd never talked to her like that and they had been nearly joined at the hip for quite some time.

He smiled at her as he walked over to the desk and leaned against it as he spoke. "Perhaps I know how to make you comfortable once more."

She lifted her brow, he was quick to try and get in her pants. "Does it involve alcohol?" She asked annoyed, if it did she was safe from him, because of her vampire lineage her body was quick to repair itself making her incapable of being drunk.

Meaning she could out drink him any time or day he tried. As she grabbed the hand he held out for her she took it as he replied with a smirk on his beautiful face. "Of course it does." She smiled oh this was going to be to fun.

* * *

"Found her." Demetri replied with a smirk as he quickened his pace. It was about time, they had been forced into the ground because of the sun and when they came up her scent had begun to blend in with mother nature. "Where is she?" Alec asked as he followed his brother.

"Somewhere beyond the mountains." He answered before he sped away Alec was quick to follow as the older vampire and he smiled when he stopped it had been a little bit since he'd been out and running like this. It was surprisingly refreshing for his body and he was sure Demetri felt the same thing.

Looking at the tiny village beyond the green grass and there sat a descent sized village sweetly tucked away between two mountains. The scent of blood of the humans flooded his senses and as he turned to look at Demetri he found that his eyes had darkened and he knew his own had.

"Focus on the Cullen; you can smell her from here." Demetri said and he closed his eyes as he focused and her scent.

He had noticed it back in the parlor room that her scent was more than succulent, it was like heaven had been bottled in pretty skin, something one only dreamt of when a human. It had been so appealing and juicy, warmer than regular human blood and less metallic. As they had begun to talk he had taken his time to watch her pulse as she spoke and he'd come to realize that it protruded a humming, a purr as it beat quicker than any human, and faster than any shifter or werewolf he'd ever come across. It reminded him a bit of a humming bird, the way it fluttered harmoniously within her small body.

So now as he focused on her, he frowned, while everything else was there, there was also the musky scent of something he knew and it was fruity as well with an unappealing chemical scent spun around them before it vanished and then it appeared once more.

As they walked into the dimly lit village they were stared at and whispered about, he rolled his eyes as he followed Renesmee's scent and as he got closer he heard her heartbeat and while it fluttered it was slower than yesterday.

Looking at the sign over the shop he realized they had found themselves at a butcher shop. He smirked of course she'd be at a butcher shop, he knew that she was raised to only feed from animals and if she was here he worried what about the shopkeeper.

"I swear if this girl has made a mess I will hand her over to Jane myself." Demetri said as if reading his own mind as they pushed open the door to the shop. He was surprised at the sight that lay before him and Demetri.

There sitting at a table was Renesmee writing something down on a piece of paper surrounded by beer bottles and across from her was an unconscious human. She turned to them with a bright smile as she acknowledged them. "Oh hi."

"What are you doing?" Alec asked as he walked over towards her as Demetri locked the door. "At the moment I am writing." She said with a sweet smile on her face as it was the most normal thing in the world to be in a situation as her own.

She was about to take another drink from a bottle when Demetri took it from her. "Did he catch you feeding at anytime?" He asked as he grabbed the unconscious mans hair and pulled him up, not so much as a groan from the man.

"He's quiet the looker Renesmee." He continued on. Renesmee looked upon the human dreamily as she replied. "He is isn't he." He noticed it then as he looked upon her once more, as she stared at the human.

"Renesmee." He said softly as he walked over to her. "Yes?" She replied with that bright smile. "Are you drunk?" He asked as he looked her over once more. Demetri lifted a brow at him as he turned his attention back to the mess of bottle beers.

Renesmee scoffed as she waved him off. "Yeah right. … half-vampire remember, my body heals and it metabolizes faster than … well its fast." She replied. He lifted a brow at her as he crossed his arms over his chest. She was too bubbly than what he assumed her to be right now. "Alright then prove it." He said as he waved his arm to the floor. "Alright then I will." She replied haughtily.

She stood up then and as she took a few steps forward she stopped and before she could fall he caught her. Looking down at her he smirked. "Perhaps I underestimated the possibility of Slovenian beer being stronger than American beer." She said with a pout and he couldn't help but find it absolutely adorable as looked up at him with her pouting lips and big brown eyes. "You think."

"Renesmee, did you feed on anything here?" Demetri asked as he captured their attention. She shook her head. "No, I had to come here, there was human blood somewhere that was very strong and I needed to distract myself. " She nodded her head in the direction of the human as she continued on. "Beautiful over there was a generous host as he offered me a chance to try some beer. … Although it was merely just a ruse to get into my pants."

She said it so easily he wondered if she even realized what she was saying. He helped her stand as he spoke. "I think we should get you back to Volterra now." She nodded her head in understanding as she spoke with a yawn. "I am tired."

"Good now that we're all in agreement. Let's get out of here." Demetri supplied as he walked over to them. "Wait!" She cried as she left his arms and if he had blinked he would have missed when she'd gotten back to the table. The paper she'd been writing on was folded and placed into an envelope and placed in the lap of the unconscious human before she popped back to them.

Demetri looked like he was going to blow up then. "Don't do that when in the presence of humans!" She frowned at him. "But he's not even awake." Had he still had human blood in his system he was sure the older vampire would be blue from the amount of oxygen he was holding in from trying not to get angry at the Cullen. Getting in between them he spoke. "She's right Demetri he's in an alcohol induced sleep, he didn't wake when you looked over him so I doubt that he'll wake up by something so small as placing a paper in his lap."

Demetri turned away from them as he spoke. "We need a car, someone tell me they have some sort of currency on them." Following Demetri out the door with Renesmee next to him he replied. "Nope didn't think we needed it."

"I don't either." Renesmee added in. "Wait, why do we need a car when we can just run?" Turning to the Halfling he explained. "See you coming into a middle of nowhere town without a car is suspicious and then us coming into town without a car only adds to suspicion. So we need to make it look like we need a car."

She nodded her head again. "Oh okay then." She looked down at something then and she looked back to him with those human eyes of hers. "Does it have to be anything specific fancy not fancy?" She asked "No just any type of vehicle will do." Demetri replied.

She bobbed her head then before she bounced away from them happily. "I think I prefer her this way." Demetri replied. Of course he preferred her bubbly; he always liked the bubbly girls. "Yeah I think I liked her more when she wasn't so human." He replied as he watched said girl talk to a human woman.

The woman was looking hesitant and he was about to step in when he saw Renesmee take something off her neck and hand it to the human who seemed surprised at it. He should be listening in, but he didn't feel like wasting his energy on such things. Before he could delve deeper she waved them over as the woman walked away from the car.

"I think we're good to go." She spoke to them as she opened the driver's seat. "He watched as Demetri stepped in front of her. "After the damage you caused last time I refuse to allow you to drive any type of vehicle into Volterra." He said, she pouted at him.

He didn't know who's side to take in this situation, on one hand the better judgment was telling him that she was slightly intoxicated and she was in fact a risky driver. On the other hand, the one that liked instigating and watching destruction, it was whispering softly into his ear that she hadn't been drinking the last time and it wondered what she was capable if she was allowed to drive.

It was a hard choice; choose his devilish side or his logical side.

… Well he had already helped her out back in the shop, so it would mean he'd have to choose Demetri's side this time. "Renesmee, you're tired remember, why don't you try to rest a bit in the back seat." He said as pushed open the backseat for her.

"I am tired …. Maybe I will take a short nap …" She replied with a contemplative look on her face. He really didn't like her in this state; she was much too compliant for his liking. He watched as she crawled into the backseat and stared up at the roof of the car before he turned his attention back to Demetri.

"I if she's like this from drinking Slovenian beer I wondered what would happen if she ever got her hands on Scottish." Demetri looked amused at him then as he spoke. "I wonder too …. Next time we go remind me to bring her along."

Of course he would want to know what she was capable of while drunk in another country. "Remind me when we get back to convince Aro to keep her away from Alcoholic drinks. … They make her to …. Obedient for anyone's liking."

Demetri shook his head as he got into the driver's seat. "Of course you of all people would like to take away a girls fun. … Now we know one of the reasons why Jane is Jane." He shook his head as he got into the car himself. "Jane is Jane because" Before he could finish Demetri cut him off. "Yeah, yeah I know … Aro's best excuse. I swear one of these days nobody will be able to use it anymore and they'll have to realize that Jane is the way she is because there was always a psychotic little demon hiding away inside her."

"I would have to agree to that as well." He replied and smiled as he watched Demetri turn away from the road to look at him with shock written on his features. "Take what I say now because you'll never gear it again." He replied softly.

Deciding to change the subject he looked to the back seat to find the soft rhythm of Renesmee's heart as she slept peacefully. "That was faster than I thought." He said quietly.

Demetri shook his head. "Not really, if you actually think about it She left sometime in the late afternoon, and even if she was speeding she wouldn't have crossed the border till early morning and by the way her scent had started to fade I would guess she had started walking and while we were following her scent by her speed I would say that it had taken her a few hours and if she had started to following the scent of blood where we had caught her scent then I would presume that she'd gotten into the town sometime mid afternoon, by the bottles of alcohol they had started drinking sometime in the early evening. … All in all I would say that she's had a hell of a day."

He really didn't know why, but when the blonde talked like that he was still even after all these centuries very surprised to know he was able to do that. "All in all I think I've had a hell of a day." He replied as he rubbed his head.

"Jane being …. Jane?" Demetri asked. Rolling his eyes he looked over at his old friend. "Try Jane being bitchy and Corin being …. Un-Corin."

Demetri nodded his head. "Ah yes Corin, I believe he's been quite the busy-body lately. … It makes me worry."

It made everyone worried that he now was focusing on something he didn't know about. He wondered if the older vampire would perhaps give him some inside details that only the elders shared with each other. "Hey do you know anything about her." He said as he tipped his head to the back. "That might interest the Ancients?" He wasn't going to be subtle this was not a subtle topic.

Demetri had a contemplative look on his face as he answered. "There's theory … but nothing proven yet, merely theory that a female hybrid is capable of being turned." That was a new development he hadn't heard about yet.

When had this happened, as if reading his mind Demetri continued. "Before Carlisle Cullen left with his family back to the Americas Aro had confronted him about the Ancients and how they'd been hearing suspicious actions being done by them. Carlisle stated that because hybrids were part human it was a possibility not with the males though. The males carry our strains of blood but because of that and the human blood running through them there was a higher risks of them not being able to carry through the transition, while the females only carried human blood, the possibility of a female hybrid being turned was a great deal possible with them not carrying venom that would fight against the transition."

"In other words ancient blood would kill off their human side." Alec finished. Demetri nodded his head. "Not only that, but because the females hybrids already go through more than enough physical and psychological changes than the male there an even higher chance that they may be more inclined to become a devotee especially if given the proper sire … and with our dearest Halfling being a Cullen and being the only known female hybrid out there now the chances are very high."

Her family was compassionate and so was she, the chances of an ancient taking advantage of that were not good looking. Still though, that couldn't be the only reason they'd be interested in her, there had to be at least another female hybrid out there somewhere.

"I still don't see why the Ancients would be so interested in her. … Corin had said something about Aro keeping a close eye on her for another reason and it can't be that big of a secret if Corin knows about it, so what am I missing?"

Demetri replied hesitantly. " …. Honestly I don't know what Corin is talking about. Between her and Nahuel she's only considered better because of her lineage and her ability, and even so, while her family has a rather strong influence on the vampire, shifter ad hybrid community, it's not as strong as ours, and even her ability isn't something people would be fighting for, its merely an intimate benefit."

That's what he'd already been thinking. "That's what I believe as well, but there has to be something we're missing right?" Demetri shrugged his shoulders as he replied. "Or maybe it's nothing, this could just be Corin's way of getting into our heads before the true battle begins. … a psychological hit would be a great starting advantage for the victorious."

He understood, Corin knew he was one of the closest people to Aro as he was his procreator, giving them a closer bond over any other in the guard and he was his only male progeny so with the war coming Aro was too busy preparing to produce anymore offspring, then there was the fact that Aro was a nit-picky creator, and without the help of Eleazar to tell him what human would be beneficial in his guard there was no way he was going to just take a chance of choosing another to turn, it had taken him nearly seven centuries just to find him and Jane and a century and a half to find Sulpicia.

The flutter that his brain had been paying attention to sped up and he knew as he heard her gasp a breath of air that she was awake. There was a groan in the back seat and he turned his attention to the back and watched as her long painted lashes fluttered about before being shielded by a gloved hand.

"Ow" She groaned in her pleasing voice, he had been surprised at how beautiful she had grown when he'd actually gotten a good look at her, he was sure that there was absolutely no flaw on her face and he could only imagine how perfect her body must have been. The transformation from human to vampire fixed all that was wrong with them and with her being born half a vampire he was sure she'd never had a flaw on her from birth.

"Good Evening love." Demetri said as he continued to watch the road they drove on. Another groan as she rubbed her head. "Oh please, how did you find me so fast? I was sure papa would've went to New York first before coming here." She said between a cry and a groan.

Alec lifted a brow as he turned his attention to Demetri who looked back at him with the same expression. Was she even fully awake?

"Cullen do you know where you are right now?" Demetri asked carefully.

He didn't know what did it but whatever sleep induced daze she'd been on seemed to be broken as she sat up straight then and looked back at him with wide eyes. She groaned again then and held her head in her hands.

"I completely underestimated the strength of Slovenian beer." Demetri began to mock her happily then and she looked more than annoyed as he spoke. "Ahh is the little Cullen incapable of holding her alcohol?"

"Says the vampire that could never handle drinking in his human days and still can't handle it as a vampire." She mocked back.

Oh she knew something about Demetri that he hadn't known which was surprising. As he turned his attention back to Demetri he found that the older vampire had been caught off guard as well. He glared at her as he spoke.

"Talking to Amun I see." He replied in a soft tone. Despite the fact that Demetri had been basically stolen from the Egyptian coven the older vampire had divulged the fact that he still thought about his former coven and did keep track of them.

The bond between a sire and his progeny was something that couldn't be broken when it was a bond like Demetri's and Amun's Carlisle and his family shared this same bond but with to a greater extent that Chelsea was incapable of breaking.

"No …. Amun talks, if I talk I talk to steal his precious Benjamin so I am not _allowed _to talk." She said as she rolled her eyes. "Ever since I can remember he's been that way; and because I'm half a vampire I have an eidetic memory so I remember everything from the point even before I was born."

"Wait!" Demetri said as he turned towards her while immediately stopping the car. Alec lifted a brow what was it about these Cullen's that made everyone show their inner characters. "It's actually true that you can remember everything that happened during your time within Isabella's womb?"

She lifted a brow as she spoke slowly. "… For the most part yes, starting from gestation period of week one I had already been capable of feeling my mother's emotions by week four cognitive functioning of my brain allowing me to give my mother some reassurance. By the sixth week I was able to hear, feel and think and my father was able to communicate with me telepathically. When I was finally born I already knew who was who by tone of voice and knew that I was the one whom killed my mother before I came to realize three days later that she had successfully turned."

She had said it so quietly and solemnly he didn't know if Demetri had asked a question she was uncomfortable with or if she didn't like remembering something about that time. She looked at him with tired as she spoke again. "I don't wish to talk anymore."

Demetri was about to speak but he shook his head, she didn't want to talk there was nothing they could do. Through the corner of his eye he saw as she sat back against the seat and closed her eyes. He could nearly taste the single tear that fell down her pale face.

The rest of the drive was silent and it wasn't long before she fell back asleep again and he listened carefully as her quick hear fluttered about inside her.

By the time they had gotten back to Volterra the sun was near its peak and he knew they'd have to get inside soon lest they wanted to be outed at such a vital point in their history. There guards were quick to join them and Demetri was even quicker to order them about.

As he stepped out of the car he watched as Mykelti stepped forward and opened the backseat. "Take her straight to her room and don't leave her unless that wing has been cleared. … I don't want anybody to disturb her."

He was sure that Mykelti got the idea of what he was talking about, it wasn't hard, and by the smell that one could only associate with an ancient the blonde was lingering around and watching her from a close distance.

"Of course Sire." Mykelti replied with a nod as he awaited further instructions. He waved him off as he took a different path into the castle wanting nothing more than to finish his game, Jane and he had been at it for three months and he was sure that he knew what move she was going to make this time. He was positive that he would be the victor once more in this round.

* * *

She was awake and she was aware of the fact that she was being carried by someone with large limbs, by the feel of the clothing material it was straight wool the smell of the inside was something that was similar to rayon, and they were wearing gloves.

A normal guard, meaning that they were in Volterra and by the sound of the shoes hitting the floor they were inside the castle already. She really hoped they were just talking her to her assigned room and not to some dungeon where Jane was waiting to bleed her out and turn her inside to her outsides.

He cradled her like an infant when he went for something she heard the rattle of keys and she forced her breathing and heartbeat to stay steady as she prepared for the worst. The door opened and he finally spoke and she recognized the voice as the guard Mykelti that she had met the other day.

"Would you like me to check your room Miss. Cullen?" He asked and she opened her eyes as he gently placed her on her own feet. She smiled softly at the full vampire as she spoke to him, she was sure that it would be unwise to come back here with the knowledge of someone like Corin. So if Alec one of the strongest and scariest members of the Volturi told her that he wanted to place a guard with her at all time, then she was positive that it would be safer to have someone check her room.

"I would like that very much." He was out of her eye sight then and as she turned her attention to her bedroom she watched as he zipped around before he popped back in front of her once more. "Everything is clear you are safe to enter Miss. Cullen." He replied as he stepped out of the room.

She nodded her head as she moved into the room turning back to him and showing her gratitude. "Thank you Mykelti." It seemed to catch the vampire off guard and she wondered why because he stood there a second longer before he bowed to her.

"Of course Miss. Cullen. … If you need anything more do not hesitate to ask." He replied. "I will. You enjoy your morning." He seemed hesitate as he replied. "… Thank you? … Good Morning Miss. Cullen." He said before he zipped away from her sight.

Closing the door behind her she sighed, she was so tired, mentally and emotionally, then she was frustrated with her mother and herself and she was still dazed by the audacity and shocking change in Vladimir. While she knew he out of all people would take her side on this matter, she would have thought that he if anyone would have realized that while she would have loved to go with him anywhere he was willing to take her she just couldn't. He should have realized that she didn't want to have to confront her family so soon and with him she would have, there was no doubt about it. So his words, those dismissive and crude words he said to her in that smooth accented voice of his hurt her more than anything else hurt her.

Then again, Vladimir did know her secret spots when it came to hurting her. He was an expert at pulling her heart strings and she just hoped that what he'd done was merely just a trick to try to have her run to him and make things right between them like she really, really wanted too.

Her head was throbbing with all this thinking again, and all these people running through her mind was not something she needed at this moment, this was why she was here to get away from everything and figure things outs for herself.

Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and focused on making all the thoughts disappear and when her body relaxed and started feeling like mush she felt better.

Her senses picked up then and she was immediately disturbed by the sounds of two vampires nearby copulating. She could also feel the dirt that covered her skin from a day of not showering. She needed to drown out the sounds of the two vampires and clean herself off; a nice hot shower would kill two birds with one stone no doubt.

As she walked into her bathroom, she turned the shower temperature nearly all the way to the left.

Taking off her jacket she through it to the floor before she loosed the buttons to her pants next sliding the down her body and leaving them next to her body, her shirt was next to go before she found herself in nothing more than her underwear, she discarded those as well before moving into the shower stall.

Right now there was only thing she hated about this shower and it was the large fogless mirrors that had been placed in there. So as the hot water cascaded down her body and her body relaxed further and her stress seemed to disappear. She stared upon her reflection.

The analytical little monster inside her began its picking looking for any sort of flaw upon her skin. There was nothing wrong to be found, but as she analyzed mentality she found that she had been nothing more than a carpet for her mother and father her whole life.

She had let them walk all over her and the only excuse she had was she loved them. Mentally she scoffed, love, now she wondered if she was even capable of it.

Still she would think that her mother would have just dropped the subject, she had been doing everything for the woman since she was born , she went above and beyond for her and now she realized that her mother didn't even deserve it. Yet she was the one that ended up broken.

She wasn't a part of that anymore though, she was shedding that skin off, she was just Renesmee, no more Cullen, Miss. Cullen, it was just Renesmee. She hoped that the others wouldn't glare at her so much now that she was cutting ties with her family. She was like them for the most part, flawed and merely just a being walking this earth. She's knows she's lost, she could tell they didn't see her like that though, she wondered what they would think if they found out that she wasn't so perfect like they perceived.

She knew though, that the moment they found about her and her family no being on good terms though that she wasn't as safe from their abuse. She could handle it though; she didn't care what they thought of her. She didn't care if they wanted to hurt her, they couldn't there was nothing they could use against her that could hurt her.

The only thing that did hurt her in this moment though was wondering who she'd been living for this entire time and if she was capable of enduring anymore painful realization like the last. She could, there were no more limitations from now on, no borders holding her back from being who she really was.

As she washed and took of the old makeup and cleaned her hair from all the product she used to keep her hair straight and neat. Her body was cleaned down from in between the toes all the way to her hair. As she turned the shower off she and moved out of the stall she felt relaxed and refreshed compared to how she'd felt earlier.

She moved to the closet where she picked a nightdress for the evening and slipped into it before moving back to her room and climbing onto the bed on the nightstand sat her laptop and she opened it only to freeze at her reflection once more.

The crazy curly bronzed hair, the pale pink skin, the brown eyes, button nose, and red lips looked back at her. For a moment she didn't know who she was looking back at, it had been so long since she'd been able to look at her own self. No makeup, no product to tame her wild hair. She'd been playing their doll for so long that she'd never actually knew what she looked like without them. It shouldn't have been like that.

Turning on her screen she clicked on an unused icon that a friend had put in for her, all the phone numbers were there of everyone she ever knew and she clicked on the top one and watched a map pop up.

Like she had though, her mother had traced her call and had told her father where it had come from, it seemed that it hadn't taken long for him to get there either. He was moving away though, meaning that he was leaving town, meaning he'd gotten her letter.

* * *

"What would she be doing here?" Leah asked as she watched the little bit of people stare at her two associates. "Alice told her to go somewhere Bella and Edward and you couldn't find her, I would say she took the first flight out of the country and this just happened to be it." Carlisle replied.

Leah nodded her head in understand as she replied. "I understand Ljubljana, but here? This place is just a speck on the map." She replied. "She's keeping a low profile places that are just specs on a map are the perfect places for that." He replied.

"Her scents goes in here." Edward said suddenly as they stopped in front of a small shop. Leah turned her attention to Carlisle hoping he'd calm Edward if this was merely just another dead end again. Carlisle looked back at her and she knew he knew what she was thinking.

So did Edward as he spoke. "She has to be here there's no way she could have gotten out of this place without being noticed." He said softly.

She said nothing and decided to not think anything while they were next to Edward. "Edward the shops not even open." Carlisle said as he looked at the door and the hours it said. Edward didn't reply as he pushed the door open.

It hadn't even been locked she turned her attention back to Carlisle who looked just as worried as her. Edward walked into the shop and the two of the followed behind him and once more since landing in the country she was blown away by the language barrier as someone from the back yelled out.

"_Zaprti smo!" _Turning her attention to Carlisle he translated for her as he whispered softly. "We're closed." She nodded her head as she filed that to the back for another time. Since she'd gotten to Slovenia she'd been reading the translation book and listening to people speak and she hoped she would be able to remember and learn overtime.

She had only ever left the states once and that was to go with Renesmee too Romania while her family went to Italy for the examinations. At thirty-nine her and Seth's lives revolved around leaving wherever the Cullen's went every, she had made it a habit after Romania to linger places a little longer than the rest of the family or Seth did, he didn't like being away from the Cullen's very long and she didn't want to become a burden to them, even if they thought she was. She never left with them out of state though except that once and now she was thinking she might have to.

A man walked into the front of the store and even with being surrounded by beautiful people all the time she was struck by just how beautiful this man was. There was absolutely nothing ugly about him and she couldn't believe that someone so beautiful, so human lived in a tiny town like this.

He stopped and stared at them for a second before he sighed. "I take it your American's." He said in an accented voice and she was very impressed by his English. "How did you know?" Carlisle asked as he took the reins for a moment.

The man gestured toward Edward before he reapplied. "There's just something about you that screams American. … There was also a girl in here earlier and he looks a little but like her." He said.

Edward looked ready to say something and she grabbed his arm holding him place even though she knew he could break out of it. Carlisle spoke again then as he pulled out his phone and went into it and showed a man a picture on it. "Is this the girl?"

The man nodded. "Yes." He replied simply. "Actually." He said before he turned away from them and got something off the shelf. "She left this for you." He said as he turned back to them with an envelope, it had her smell but something was off about it, she must have changed perfumes.

"You must be her brother then." He said as he walked over to them with the envelope. "She left explicit instructions for me to give this to you." He continued.

She let go of Edwards arm and watched as he took the envelope with shaking hands. "Thank you." Edward replied before he walked out of the door. Leah turned back towards Carlisle and the human.

"If you don't mind me asking, Renesmee isn't in any kind of trouble is she?" He asked with a concerned voice and she was surprised with how easy it was for him to say her name.

Carlisle replied for them. "No, she just left suddenly and we're just concerned for her." The man nodded before he spoke. "Well I don't know where she is … She came in and we talked, she stayed for some drinks and then she left. … other than that she didn't say where she was going or where she'd be." The man said.

Carlisle nodded. "Well thanks you for your time, you've been very helpful." He said smoothly before he turned toward her and gestured for them to go.

As she walked out she could see in the horizon the darkness was beginning to fade into dark blues, purples, reds and orange. The sunrise was coming.

Turning to Carlisle she spoke. "I think I saw the sign for a hotel a little bit back." She said softly. "You did." He replied as looked over to Edward with concern. "Edward, the suns coming up." He said softly.

If vampires were capable of crying she would bet that Edward would be right then as he turned to them, she didn't know why but there was something telling her that he would have been crying if he was capable.

The envelope was in his hands along with an opened letter she knew was from Renesmee.

* * *

He was angry, the very fantasies the man had of his daughter was going to drive him insane and he only wanted them to disappear and he only wanted the human to disappear. He had tried to take advantage of his daughter and he thought disgusting things of his baby.

Thank god for Leah, sometimes he loved the woman; she had the perfect timing sometimes. When the man handed him the envelope though, all thoughts about him were gone, all the thoughts in the room were gone, just his little girl out there on her own, out there somewhere and she only left him a letter.

As he walked outside he shakily opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. He didn't want to open the letter, he knew he wouldn't like what was in the letter.

Opening the letter he found his little girls perfect handwriting.

_Please understand that I had to do this. You knew eventually that one day I would fly from the nest, whether I was with Jacob or not. I understand that you did as mother asked to protect me and because you only wanted the best for me. Right now home is a million miles away and I can't go back, I've started this journey and plan to finish it on my own terms. I just need you to know that no matter where I am you and Momma and everyone are always in my heart. I remember as a child that you once told me that for every door that opens another closes, you have to trust me and know I will be strong and I will survive without you. You've always believe in me and I want you to believe in me now. You and everyone else in the family have stories to tell and one day when I come back I'll have my own to tell you. The future for me is unclear and I'm not afraid to face it head on just like you were. So please just let me go eventually I will come back when I'm ready just like you did. _

_We'll meet again in the future your daughter Renesmee._

* * *

**_Sorry that took so long but as you can see it is a long chapter and well once more I do have a life on this side of the screen so don't expect me to always be on the computer or be able to think about when I'll be able to post things, not trying to be mean but it's life and reality isn't always fair okay._**

**_I would like to thank everyone for their reviews though._**

**_HeyPrincessMarie_**

**_VampireLover0100_**

**_DracoM BlaizeZ_**

**_Carlie13_**

**_Serendipity10 – Another reason my chapter was updated later is because I took some of your advice, I saw some because I don't have a beta reader. But I will be explaining something's in later chapters. And I completely agree with you on the sickening factor of the Jacob/Renesmee relationship. I was always very happy to see that someone agrees with me with the psychological issues with Renesmee being as she aged much faster than a normal being would. Ex: That much hormones hitting you that hard could really cause you to lose your mind. I will try to not emphasize clothing it does seem a little outrageous once I look through my story with that in it. Not everyone is attracted to Renesmee, she merely has an allure that is much different than a vampire or a human and that pulls in more people than a regular vampire or beautiful human. I did seem to make Demetri a bit OC in the previous chapters and I'm sorry for that I didn't mean to. I've been going through this chapter as much as possible for any mistakes that can be fixed myself so as too further better my writing for myself and your little tips have made this chapter so good. I am really very happy that this story is something you like and I hope you continue to read and review it. Thanks so much for your review hope to see in the next chapter. Also the relationship between Vladimir and Renesmee is a little difficult and in later chapters you'll find out why. Thanks again._**

**_NotoriousNat – Yeah I find some other fanfics in the twilights sections unrealistic I'm not a big shipper for the book I read it because my sister begged me too and I found myself fascinated by the fact that people were going crazy over a relationship that was based off of obsession, manipulation and lust and not true love. I'm a big romantic and Stephanie Meyer seemed to kill that with her books while I was reading them, and I was also a little disappointed with the fact that it was only going to be Nahuel and Jacob that wanted to be with Renesmee and a bit sickened with Jacob/Nessie concept and a little by the Nahuel thinking over the prospect of him and Renesmee when she was just a child. EW! And really Bella did manipulate nearly everything in the story, she manipulated Edward into turning her by keeping Renesmee and she manipulated the family into excepting her by becoming best friends with Alice and she manipulated Jacob into sticking around when he didn't want anything to do with her after she told him she was going to sleep with Edward while still human. She manipulated a lot more you just have to pay attention and I believe that Edward goes along with it because he believes they are meant to be together since she is the only being in the world who he can't seem to hear. And the Jane and Renesmee becoming friends well … I'll see how I can twist it, but it's not looking good on this side, the plot of most chaps are written out already, chap itself hasn't been is all. They are a bit similar to a point but not by much and this will be further talked about in later chaps, thanks for reading and reviewing will be looking for you next chap. _**

**_Nikkie Volturie – I hope you got my PM and thanks for the reviews. _**

**_alecvolturiswife - finally someone agrees with me, I think the wolf pack isn't dumb though, just a little undereducated and in this story they have their own personas and don't go just jumping into things like they used to._**

**_ScottishFever _**

**_Spudzmom_**

**_Yona – sorry for the delay but life happens and yeah. … but I'm so glad you like this it makes me feel better. _**

**_ShadowHuntress101 _**

**_Alecvolturi'swifie_**

**_KaelynMarieSalvatore_**

**_DayAnnKnight _**

**_Shshdhd_**

**_Stefani _**

**_TheWitchTwins _**

**_Renesmee C. Cullen da original _**

**_Reneslec – well what to say about the whole Demetri/ Renesmee relationship is a little complicated and not so much but trust me its worth watching … er … reading. Yeah. _**

**_nattycullen – I noticed that too that in many fanfics that Renesmee was only seven compared to mine where she's eighteen and her being so mature is because of her accelerated aging and her ability to learn fast. As for Alec … well sometimes I feel I didn't quite get him down but I try, I think he is a cocky person, but merely when he has some sort of intimate connection to you ex: his sister in New moon he teased her when she arrived in the castle with bringing back and I quote "Two and a half" and since there was so little about Alec and Jane when I started this I just had to conjure my own Alec and Volturi and how they would be. Thanks for the review and hope to see you in the next chap. _**

**_GakuenAlicefan27 _**

**_shocktrix _**

**_thanks again for reading and reviewing hope to see you all next chapter. _**

**_Lady Grimshaw_**


	7. Dancing & Vampires

**_Chapter VII_**

**_Vampires and Dancing are Meant to Be._**

* * *

_Beauty is unbearable, drives us to despair, offering us for a minute the glimpse of an eternity that we should like to stretch out over the whole of time. _

_-Albert Camus_

* * *

Sometimes she always wondered why people continued to do things that weren't any good for them, why they would continue to go back to everything that hurt them. Yes as she sat before the vanity mirror she couldn't figure out why she'd ever thought that as she stared upon herself.

She was a complete hypocrite in that moment, she couldn't tear herself away from her reflection, couldn't stop the anger that was beginning to build up as she watched her brown eyes.

Those brown eyes that had cursed her life and had caused her naiveté and pain, they saw human, they saw her mother and so they treated her as such, he treated her as such.

… And she allowed him to.

She didn't know which was worse, being a hypocrite in that moment or allowing someone to believe that she was someone she could never be? She wondered if this was how the evil queens in all those fairy tales felt when they looked upon themselves in their magic mirrors and still couldn't compare their beauty to another.

While she wasn't a queen, and she was of no true royal blood she knew that her family was rather noble and influential in their own community. Even in Forks, she had heard some stories from her cousin Nathanial, how people talked about _'The Cullen's' _still to this day despite none had officially been seen since her mother and father had left town those long nineteen years ago._ T_he humans talked of her family like they were the queens and kings of the town; they were prestigious, noble, and royal in their own rights. Yet here she stood feeling less queen like and even less princess like and feeling more haggish than anyone her age should. The mirror showed her nothing of what she felt though; it merely showed her what others saw.

They saw youth, they saw beauty, and they saw her parents. Her high cheek bones, straight nose, the jaw and full lips those were her fathers, her bronze hair color his as well. The curly hair, a courtesy of her grandfather Charlie.

Those brown … brown, brown, mud colored eyes. … Her mother's eyes. She saw nothing of Renesmee she merely saw them. Was she one of those daughters whom faded behind the backdrop of her kin?

She responded to her own answer within her head _'I truly am'_. She cracked and she watched as the frown moved upon her features.

There she was, those brown eyes that frown, there she was. _'Bella.' _She thought in her head as she stood quickly and screamed while she hit the mirror with all her might.

Once more she stood looking at the reflection in the broken glass.

Now did the mirror think her Bella still? Since she could remember it had always said she was Bella. She can't pretend though, not anymore, it was too tiring, too hard to play her, to play perfect. The mirror didn't own her though, they didn't own her. In the mess of broken glass though she saw a different person, she saw Renesmee. She hoped one day someone would see this person, someone who thought she, Renesmee, was beyond beautiful, whom had beauty all her own, whom was only her own.

This glass though, this mirror, this reflection, she wouldn't allow it, she wouldn't allow _them _to tell her what she needed to be, who she needed to be. There was no more needing to listen to people tell her what to do, she didn't need to try to compare to anyone any more. She wouldn't allow them to define her anymore, she was Renesmee and that should be the only thing too define who she was.

There was another headache coming and if she continued to linger she was sure she'd die from an aneurysm. Drama-queen right now, very much. Sighing she grabbed her cardigan off the chair and slipped it on as she walked into the bedroom.

Collapsing onto her bed she grabbed her phone and found that the sun was barely going to come up. Could one believe that she had actually slept a whole day away? What surprised her more was that no one came for her, not once had Aro called upon her, and she was grateful, she needed, had needed to rest, she was sure that four hours of sleep a day was not good for one's body or psyche.

… Then again she wasn't completely human so it shouldn't have made any difference how much sleep she had each night seeing as any problems it might have caused would be healed by the time she woke up.

There was a shuffling of feet outside just then and she groaned as she heard the quick and quiet vampire speech, they were speaking in a language she didn't know, but by the way they talked it seemed as if it was a language they had known for a rather long time.

A knock on her door then, she didn't answer, there was no need, the door opened anyhow. The footsteps were soft, barely heard and confident, it was Demetri. His feet seemed to move to a beat that was all his own, it was as if he was dancing as he walked unlike how the others and she merely walked.

"Renesmee good to hear that you're awake". Amusement dripped with every syllable he made and she knew that if she were to open her eyes she'd find a smirk on his handsome face. She was prepared to say something when she heard his voice come from the bathroom.

"Hmm. ... was the mirror not to your liking?" He asked. The memory of what she did to the mirror popped into her mind then and she could barely keep her mouth shut. "No, the reflection was what was not to my liking."

When he spoke next she nearly jumped from her position on the bed, he sat right at the end of the bed then. His words charming and she wondered how long it had taken for him to become so. "I see not why, I believe that you are rather beautiful. … especially considering the fact that you're Edward Cullen's daughter."

She chuckled. "I'm only beautiful because of what I am and because my mother was incredibly beautiful even as a human." There was a scoff and she sat up from her position and leaned against the headboard as she listened closely to his rather lovely and touching words.

"Isabella incredibly beautiful I think not. … I'm not sure who had ever told you this but I know and have seen incredible beauty and your mother is not such. I can agree to her being pretty, actually I would say if anything she is what you would call a … plain Jane; but _you_ don't get your looks from your actual parents … Aro once said that the very first moment he saw you he only saw the beauty of your grandmother in you."

That was completely unexpected, especially if such a thing came from Aro. "Aro thought that Renée was beautiful?" She asked.

The look she received from him was open and she saw a mixture of contempt, pity and amusement all wrapped up together as he shook he spoke. "Not that grandmother … Edwards mother."

She spoke with a surprised whisper "Elizabeth!" Moving closer to him she watched him closely for any signs of misleading. "Aro knows what she looks like?"

"Of course he's seen your fathers mind many a times, have you never seen what she looks like?"

Amazingly enough she knew nothing about her father's biological mother other than she had died in Chicago the same day her grandfather Carlisle had changed her father. There was also the small snippet that her father had given her engagement ring to her mother. Other than that she'd never been told anything about her late relatives from her father's side.

What was worse was that Aro knew Elizabeth Mason and she did not. There was another chuckle and she didn't realize that she was laughing until she saw Demetri's lovely face contort into worry. "That's just fantastic! It's become official, I truly no nothing."

The piece of bed that she'd been holding onto seemed to break apart as she gripped it harshly in her hold and she looked down at the piece of teak in her palm. She knew she wasn't angry with the bed and she wasn't angry with Demetri but right in that moment she was mad? Angry? Furious? … _'No I'm just pissed off.' _She thought to herself as she threw the piece of wood to the wall with all her might.

The two of them watched as it hit the wall and destroyed the teak wall revealing the marble behind it. That only made her anger worse, all she wanted to do was destroy something and she wasn't strong enough to destroy a wall like her parents could.

"I'm sensing some anger issues here." Demetri's voice seemed to float in the stillness of the room.

Collapsing back onto her bed she grabbed a pillow and threw it over her face not caring if the Volturi saw her break as she screamed into the soft object. The pillow was torn from her grasps then and she knew that her tears were finally showing.

"All better?" He asked softly. She wasn't paying attention to him anymore as she lost herself in her own thoughts.

Had she truly been living such pretty lies her whole life, had her parents really been so deceiving in their ways to protect her from everything to keep her? She had merely thought she was just running from marring a man she didn't love yet here she lay realizing she was running from her family and all they're lies and manipulation. The worst of it all was realizing that pretending to be happy only caused them to continue in their deceit and selfishness and she'd become so blind that she smothered herself to the point of not being able to see the insanity of it all.

… Right now all she wanted was insanity so badly.

She couldn't understand things anymore and she was beginning to wonder if de-evolution was possible as she felt like an idiot. Everything was inside out and upside down and just spinning and she was becoming dizzy with the truth. She was starting to become sick and tired of trying to explain everything and trying to keep a calm and cool composure when everything was perfectly wrong.

Just right now she'd allow herself to become swallowed by the darkness of her reality and be free from everything and everyone. _'It's official I'm losing my mind'._

There was a sigh and she was lifted up as if she was a mere piece of paper and placed against the headboard gently. "You're not losing your mind love … merely seeing the insanity of those around you" He said gently.

She lifted a brow and realized he did it again, that thing where he knew what she was thinking and before she could say anything about it he spoke up once more with an answer to her thoughts. "You mumble when in deep thought."

She sighed and leaned her head against the headboard. "I don't know how to feel about all of this … I've been living a lie for so long now I …" She couldn't finish as she felt fresh tears and a hiccup come through.

"Calm down, your alright." She tried, tried to control her breathing, to catch her breath. "You know" He continued. "It's merely a lie … my reason for leaving Amun for Aro … Chelsea never had to manipulate our relationship to bring me to Aro" He said as he avoided her attention by letting his eyes wonder anywhere other than to her face.

That caught her attention. "… I … I don't understand" She said softly before another hiccup made its way up. He scratched his head then, still continuing to avoid eye contact, obviously this was not a conversation he was comfortable with. "You see, Amun was a great teacher … amazing really. … As you have seen yourself though he is a fairly … _possessive_ creator. Possessive and jealous and those are two things no newborn should have in a creator. You'd think that he'd be happy to see that I was adapting well into my new life and into my ability. He didn't want that though; he wanted someone that would cling to him as if he were their air, their life force." There was a flash of Kebi's face in her mind as she remembered just how loyal and devoted she was to her mate. Demetri continued on though. "He couldn't handle the fact that I better than he wanted me to be. He feared me and the possibility that I would be the one … calling the shots as you would say. So when I was approached by Marcus I had saw an opportunity that was too good to pass up. … Not wanting to hurt Amun though I asked Chelsea for a favor the first of many might I add, in doing so I gave people another reason to fear the Volturi, to fear Chelsea. … During my first month though I came to realize that even if I had said no and covered up our tracks and ran, even if I was loyal I would never satisfy him. I would never be able to be what he wanted no matter how much of myself I gave."

She stared at him then and she could see the centuries he lived in his bright gem colored eyes, and as she looked upon his powdery pale complexion she saw just how old he truly was. "I can't begin to understand what you're going through. I can tell you what I learned from my own troubles. There will always be people that are envious of you, people who hate you no matter where you go, sometimes it's the people you least expect, you just have to remember to let it be. Unlike everyone else you can live your life not caring what others think of you and that makes you so much better because you will survive unlike all of them" He stared right back at her with a playful smile upon his lips as he continued while lightly tapping her leg "Now do me a favor and stop crying it's truly most unbecoming of such a pretty little thing like yourself".

She smiled softly truly the blonde was something else, something she was sure she'd never figure out. He was up then and he held out a hand for her. "Come now; let's get you out of this gloomy atmosphere and into the world of the living" She looked up at him with a lifted brow as she placed her gloved hand into his own.

"Maybe not the best of words I suppose" He replied with a small smirk upon his features as he pulled her up. He looked down at her with a critical eye before he turned away from her and walked over to her bathroom and disappeared into it.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she followed the vampire and found him shifting through her closet. He didn't turn away from his search as he spoke. "Looking for something other than that to wear" He replied.

Looking down at herself she saw nothing wrong about her apparel, it was in style and fashion. Black leather boots, the pants while not baggy were saggy in the crotch area and she wore a simple cardigan with a simple tank top beneath it, it was all black but she hadn't really been in a colorful mood when she woke up.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" She asked as she watched him look over her shoes. He answered much too quickly for her liking. "There not appropriate for dancing." Finally He turned to her and pushed the clothes into her chest as he spoke. "Change then meet me outside" she blinked and he was gone and she looked down at the pair of leggings and heels in her arms.

They were black; at least he was considerate enough to allow her to continue with her choice of color.

* * *

**_…Cullen's Residence…_**

She was pacing and she was biting her nails and he watched and waited patiently for something to happen, anything really. Coming back from Slovenia he had been hoping maybe if they talked about the situation with Renesmee they could figure things out, instead she had walked out of the family room and into their bedroom. He'd waited a few hours before following after and when he had he'd found her exactly like this and it had been an hour since finding her this way and it would seem she would stay that way until her mind seemed to figure out whatever it was it was trying to.

Sighing he walked back into the family room where he found Tanya waiting patiently for them as she looked upon their family photos that seemed to cover the entire room. Her mind a jumble of thoughts and sadness as she looked about the pictures of a child she could never have and the child she had come to love as if she were her own family.

"I take it she's still in her thoughts" she said carefully as she flipped through the pictures. He sighed as he walked over and sat next to her on the couch as he replied. "Everything has been such a mess since Renesmee left and whatever they talked about on the phone has really gotten to her." He explained.

He wasn't sure what was said between his wife and daughter but whatever it was Bella wasn't willing to share with him, and when he'd shown her the letter he could see in her eyes the anger she'd felt about something that had to do with Renesmee.

"I understand." Tanya replied softly as she finally looked up at him. "I couldn't imagine what it must feel like to unintentionally run my daughter off" she continued gently.

He could see in her head that she had meant that to be for both of them and didn't actually point the finger at Bella alone. "May I ask you a personal question?" He asked carefully as he turned his complete attention onto her.

She smiled softly at him as she answered. "Of course, there's nothing I wouldn't tell you." He'd always known that, and she knew he knew it. He preferred it though that he asked instead of plunging head long into such a personal topic.

"Had you ever left home when you were of age?" He asked carefully knowing that her human life was something of a touchy subject for her as it contained memories of her dearest mother. She wasn't shocked though as he saw into her mind and saw the thoughts that floated about it. "During my human times, woman of age weren't allowed to leave home unless they were to marry. … Such thoughts of a girl leaving her home without her family was unthinkable during such times."

Of course they were; sometimes he forgot that Tanya and Kate were from ancient times, their personalities and adaptability made it impossible sometimes to remember exactly how old they actually are. "What about after? Had the thought ever come to you about leaving your mother and sister now that you were capable of protecting yourself?"

She smiled softly and he could see the memories surface to the top of her mind as she reminisced about a time after her transformation from newborn as she waited for her mother to leave to hunt for them before fleeing the small shack they lived in.

"Of course I did. … Just as you did Edward" her smile was soft, warm and welcoming as she continued. "I understand that she is _your _daughter and she is your _child_, but you have to understand that the vampire in her is going to be stronger than the human side of her. That vampire in her is going to want to run free and fight and love and live without reservations and consequence. Do you not remember what your time was like after the feeling of being reborn was like? That feeling of just wanting to lose yourself in the blissful feeling of running and that blood of yours wanting to take the reins and exploring and existing in your own way? I remember when I first met you, Carlisle had brought you too us so you could learn our way of life and I remember how eager you were to flee from him just so you could see the world with your new eyes. … That is all this is, that vampire is Rene is just finally breaking free from your hold. She means no harm and she feels she has too and so she needs to, you must be patient she will come back to you. … We always come back."

As always she was so completely insightful and she knew exactly what to say to get that unease and jittery feeling to leave his body. This was the part of Tanya that he had always thought he could be with, but for some reason she would revert back to that other side of her that believed that sex was all that he would need to make him happy that her body and face were all that was needed for a good mate. She was insecure on the inside, but it wasn't her fault, during her times men would only want a wife for strong and beautiful heirs, a cook and of course a bed-warmer nothing more nothing less.

"You should not worry so much Edward, she's fully capable of taking care of herself, you and your family have taught her well just as Vladimir and Stephan have and I hope that somewhere she might have learned something helpful from my family as well. … She's a smart girl and a good girl. There is nothing to worry about."

If she only knew what the dangers were outside of Denali and outside the realms of Vampires and Hybrids. "I do not fear that she can't take care of herself … I worry that someone would take advantage of her innocence. She's still a child and I know I'm protective of her but I can't help it, being a father of a beautiful child is hard enough, being the father of a hybrid is even harder and being a vampire and a father I couldn't stop being protective even if I wanted to" He explained as she grabbed his hand and held it in her own in a comforting manner as she spoke.

"Oh Edward, I told you not to blame yourself I get it, everyone does. Being a father to an exceptional daughter is rough and it doesn't help that as a vampire you are protective of what is yours and she is. There's nothing wrong with that and someday she'll come to understand herself the hardships you must have faced as her father."

That was to true, so true, if only people knew what it was like having to be put in his position. "Besides … I don't think you have anything to fear … while Rene is _innocent_ she's not … how should I put this? …. Gullible? Foolish? … Easy? … I don't think that she will allow someone to put her in a position she does not like without a fight. She's not like human girls and she's nothing like we vampires who are over ridden with stronger emotions than humans can imagine. There is nothing you should have to worry about in that aspect."

"Say she does let someone …. Do such …. _Things._ … She wouldn't be my little girl anymore, she wouldn't be … Renesmee."

"Edward" She began only to stop short as they heard the footsteps approach the room and stop before them, he faced the pale beauty that stood in the threshold and waited for her to finally speak.

Instead his wife merely stood there and stared at something, something he could see in her eyes that she was not happy with, and he could not say what exactly. Tanya knew it though as he heard her thoughts bounce around his head. _' … There's the look.'_

Look. What look? He saw nothing as he looked back at his quiet wife trying to decipher what the older vampire was thinking about, but as the faces of so many women seemed to pass through her mind he found the common denominator. They were all angry, jealous wives of the men that were infatuated with her.

It seemed that now as he looked upon his wife alongside the one woman whom before he was married was not shy about her intentions was joining the ranks of past women that had run off his blonde friend. "Bella" He began only to be stopped as she turned a glare onto him.

"I would appreciate it if you would stop throwing yourself onto _my _husband" She said with a clipped tone. Tanya didn't seem upset with the cruelness in which she was talked to, she seemed to have already anticipated it as she stood without a problem and grabbed her purse.

"I think I know when I'm not welcomed" She said as she quickly walked her way towards the front door, as she opened it though she turned her attention back to him and spoke softly and sincerely. "I do hope everything with Renesmee will work out for the better" then she was gone out of sight and he knew she was already somewhere closer towards their family's home.

"Bella, you didn't have to act so cruel towards Tanya" He spoke softly as he turned his attention on his obviously mad wife. She stood there with her arms crossed atop her chest and her pose defensive she was ready for a fight and he knew he was dealing with someone that he had not married.

"She was using your vulnerable state to take advantage of you … how could you not see that?" While he'd never seen this side of his wife, he knew when a vampire was not in their right state of mind, and his wife was not. Tanya had been doing no such things.

If there was one thing he could say about Tanya, it was that she was not the type of woman nor vampire to take advantage of a broken hearted parent. "She was only trying to help". She looked outraged and he was wondering if this had anything to do with Tanya at all.

"Help? What would she know about children? What would she know about being a parent? A mother she knows nothing about such things so how could she help?" If there was a reason to breathe he would have sighed just then at how she was acting.

"She's an old vampire, she's been around a long time and has seen many things, even with these sorts of situations" he explained softly. Bella rolled her eyes. "Of course she does, because someone who's knows so much about a runaway daughter tells the parents to let her be, because she's seen so many runaway girls come back to their parents."

Lashing out was obviously her only gateway of release of all that she's been holding in since Renesmee decided to run off. "Bella this isn't you" he said simply. She merely ignored his words as she commanded simply before walking away.

"I don't want to see you with _her _anymore". Well it would seem that his wife was going to take out all her issues with Renesmee out on the rest of the world including her own husband and mate. This time he really did sigh as he rubbed his neck before walking towards the front door. He needed to get out of the small cottage that was his home and get some fresh air before he started to act like his wife.

* * *

**_… Volturi Castle …_**

"So you never did tell me what we are doing here in the first place" Renesmee said as she found herself leaning against the threshold of the large ballroom, watching as Demetri shuffled about. He turned his attention back to her with a clap that bounced off the cold marble walls.

"That looks much better". He completely ignored what she had said instead opting for commenting on her changed apparel. He walked over to her then, and she noted how he slid across the large room with a hop in his moves, he was happy about something.

Deciding to go along with him she agreed with him. "Of course you did choose it after all." There was an ego boost she should not have given. She noticed then as she placed her hand upon his that he'd removed the dark coat that he'd been wearing as well as the gloves, leaving him only in a dark gray suit.

She'd never noticed before but the charming vampire was truly something to look at while in a suit, and she could tell that the craftsmanship of the suit was of excellent and expensive taste, it was made to fit his form and hug the contours and sharpness of his lean and long body.

He really should have kept the coat on his body; nobody should look so good in a suit, especially someone like Demetri. "Still have your gloves on I see." He said as he pulled her into his body.

Of course _he_ of all people would want her to have her gloves off, smirking she replied in a cool tone as she looked him straight in his eyes. "Well of course. … I wouldn't want to give such an advantage so early on in our little game".

He nodded his head with a playful smirk. "Of course; your gift would completely ruin what we have wouldn't it?" She laughed softly at him. She shook her head; he was so easy to be with that it was unusual in a comfortable way.

"Seriously though what are we truly doing in here?" She asked trying to figure out what he was up to. He smiled down at her as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a remote she looked about him questioningly wondering why he had a remote in his pockets.

Music started to bounce off the walls and she took note that it was a classical piece, something that she'd never heard before and he pulled her close to her. He was staring at her; she wondered what he was thinking as she stared at her ruby colored reflection, he was something different from what her mother had described him as.

Then again she couldn't exactly rely on her mother's knowledge, the words of a paranoid was somewhat tricky. "What are you thinking of?" She blinked, not completely aware of herself as she felt her body stop in its movements, she hadn't realized they had begun moving. She blushed; she'd never been caught off guard like that.

It was strange, since she'd arrived in Italy she'd found herself more and more in her own thoughts, usually she had always been so alert to the world around her. Always so careful of what she was thinking, fearing what her father would say to her if he ever heard her thoughts, fearing she'd hurt him and her mother.

Life without a mind reading father and a perfect mother was so utterly blissful and she would do right by not taking advantage of that.

Now all she had to do was say something, but should she tell him what she was thinking or just continue on the way they'd been the entire time? She did enjoy their playful banter so she would just continue on that way. So she smiled at him knowing he'd have a quick retort for her on the tip of his tongue.

"Dare I say I'm shocked, here I thought you knew what I was thinking most of the time" and she was right about that quick retort as he spoke up defending his name. "I would never claim mind-reader love; I am just a humble tracker".

"Yes you are just so humble" She replied teasingly. He questioned her once more though, seriously with no way of letting her out of it with pretty worded distractions once more. "Honestly though; what are you thinking of?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she stood there wrapped within his arms. A part of her was comfortable with him and the other part, the part that she wanted to tear apart, the part that trusted, loved and followed her mother wanted to leave the room and never speak to him again.

That little piece of her, that blind sheep only angered her and she had to say something then. "You are not as she said you were".

There was no question as to whom she was speaking of as he seemed intrigued with the question as he inquired with an amused smirk plastered upon his face. "And how exactly does she say I am?"

There was no hesitation in her answer; she had no reason to fear him as most would take it as a compliment. "She said that despite your charm and your calm and cool facade you are positively the worst of them all. She says you are gleeful in your quest of bloodshed and dominancy … and that I should do as Alistair does and stay in the complete opposite direction of where you stand." She shrugged her shoulders once more and offered up her own personal challenge towards him.

"I admit that maybe I should stay far, far away from you and every Volturi member, but I don't exactly feel like it when Aro is such an amazing host" She took in a breath before she supplied her thoughts some more. "Besides so far, I see no charm or cool facade that she told me your were infamous for … I think the Casanova of the Elite Vampires she spoke of was nothing more than her imagination"

He gripped her tight then and she knew he was taking her silent challenge. "Would you like to see what your mother saw all those years ago?" He questioned as he pushed himself upon her his face, his nose, his lips nearly touching her own.

She held back a gulp well it would seem that her mother had been correct in the fact that Demetri was an intense one. Then all she could feel was his hard body, all she could see was his beauty and all she could smell was him, the sweetness that was associated with vampires and those pheromones that were purely masculine and purely Demetri.

Before she knew what was happening she was being twirled out of his arms and twirled back in and this time he was not pushing himself on her and he only frowned. "For someone so small you truly are a testy one" He commented as he returned to moving them around the room.

She arched her brow at him as she replied. "I am not testy" There was an eye roll from him and she was surprised by his smoothness. "Of course you're not and I'm God's gift to humans" this did make her laugh. "Okay instead of asking me questions why not answer my first one this time. What are we doing in here?"

He chuckled as he swayed their bodies across the ballroom floor before looking around the room, looking a bit more bashful than she thought him capable of. "If you must know" He began as he moved them. "Ognissanti is coming up soon." She stopped him there even though he grimaced at her she spoke. "To be exact it's forty-four days away." He tilted his head as he looked down at her and continued on. "Yes, forty-four days to be exact and that is about a week away in vampire time no amount of time for preparing."

Preparing? Did she really want to know what they were preparing for? No she truly didn't but she must ask just for appearance sake. "What exactly needs to be prepared for All Saints' Day … and why exactly do vampires care about such a day?" She really hoped he wouldn't answer her but she was horribly put down as he answered.

"It's a long and old tradition, we celebrate because we wish to, and it gives an excuse to invite other covens to Volterra for Aro to scout." Of course Aro loved his scouting. "We begin the celebrations with the humans, here in Volterra because of the Vampires that are rich in the history many come far to celebrate All Hallows' Eve and Aro allows us to go out during this night and … I guess you could say celebrate alongside the humans. Mostly we scare them".

Yes of course that would be the only reason Aro would let them prowl the streets of Volterra on Halloween night. "We also use this time to get the other covens inside before anyone else realizes that there a bunch of vampires congregating." She really should stop him, she knew deep down that the reason vampires were gather at such a time during was because of something she was absolutely against. "See for us All Saints' Day as you call it is a very special day … we hold an annual Ball". Oh she knew where this was going and yet she did nothing to stop him from continuing.

"There is a feast before the day is over." She should have stopped him, she really, really should have. Holding up a hand she stopped him from continuing any further. "Okay I get it, there's a Vampire Ball, sounds lovely, but it has nothing to do with me. … I'm a vegetarian remember."

He smiled amusedly at her as he spoke. "How could I ever forget? …. That was not the reason why I am telling you any of this though". If she whined right now would she be wrong? "See I've been a bit of a procrastinator this year, see there have been a fairly large number of changes going on and I seemed to have completely forgotten about the ball that's been coming up". There was that bashful look again and she knew she should walk away while she had the chance but instead she just had to stick around and see and hear what she was expecting.

He looked around the room once more and she could tell that he was also trying to listen and see if there was anyone else around that would hear before turning back to her and she could swear that if he could blush he'd be as red as a ripe roman tomato. He rubbed the back of his neck then and she spoke up finally.

"Let me guess you forgot to ask someone to accompany you?" He smiled again as he spoke. "What gave it away?" She laughed softly as she replied. "Everything".

He looked at her then expectantly and she wondered how far she could take this with him. "Well?" He asked her and she stole his amused smile from him as she mimicked him. "Well what?" She asked she faked a scoff at him. "Oh Demetri you can't actually think I'd except after that horrible excuse of asking do you?"

He looked at her with his ruby eyes and she could swear that he was silently pleading with her. She sighed she couldn't reject a person when they looked at her like that now could she? "I will only go with you under the conditions that I will leave before the actual … '_festivities' _begin." She really didn't want to think of what she had just said as it had left a bad taste in her mouth.

There was that grin that the Volturi members all seemed to be able to carry again as he gripped her tightly to him once more and began to move then around the room once more. It was then that it hit her, he had never actually answered her damned question.

Placing her foot down she stopped their movements and looked up at him with a glare as she spoke. "You still haven't answered my question. … What are we doing in here?" She waited and when he opened his mouth to speak she interjected him. "And I want my question answered nothing else" she commanded. He smiled at her. "Had your family ever accepted the invitations to our Balls you'd know that as a tradition, the Elite guard and their respective partners take the first dance".

_'Uh oh.' _ She thought to herself as she realized what exactly he was saying. "We have to dance in front of a bunch of vampire covens don't we?" She asked with a frown. What if someone her parents knew were there? Surely Aro knew that if she attended the Ball that word would spread about her being with the Volturi and she really didn't want to know what would happen if her family got the wrong impression. Her being here could cause a great misunderstanding that would lead to a horrible war.

What had she been thinking when she decided to come here? Demetri's voice broke through her walls and she calmed a bit at what he was saying. "We will, there's nothing to worry about though, the covens and nomads that join us are usually … how would you put this … they are … not in your families good graces and they certainly don't care if they are or aren't"

"So I won't have to leave in fear of my family finding me." He smiled down at her as he answered. "Not unless you provoke any of the covens into telling your family where you are" She nodded her head in understanding.

"So no provoking" She replied with a nod and she realized she should have just nodded her head and said nothing. "Not unless Aro gives the okay, in which case either he wants to dispose of the coven or vampire or he just wants to be amused."

She didn't want to go into that kind of conversation so instead she decided to change the subject as she looked around the room and focused on the information he had given her. "So Vampire Ball huh. … what kind of dance are we expected to do? Waltz, Foxtrot, Vienna Waltz, Paso Doble … stop me when I get to it."

"None of the above." He replied as he continued on moving around the ball room she was about to question him when he continued. "See while all those are very beautiful dances … they are all human dances. What we will be dancing is well … only for immortals."

"There's going to be a lot of vampire speed isn't there?" She questioned she wasn't sure if she could keep up with the vampire movements if that was the case. "I have no doubt that you can do it, while you may only be half immortal you are still vampire." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Haven't you ever wondered why you love to dance?" He asked suddenly as he spun her around and she realized that she never had questioned why she loved to dance she had always figured it came from her father who loved music and dancing.

"See dancing is positively the most entrancing thing in the world second only to us, since the dawn of time humans have been dancing, and since we can remember we vampires have existed, the two of us, we simple mesh perfectly together, we are meant to be. A vampire that does not like dancing is simply non-existent; it is a part of us that simply cannot be ignored. None can exactly say why we love to dance but the only conclusion any of us can come to is because we are meant to be one, we are meant to do it to lull the humans to pull them into the fantasy."

She had never thought of it that way and as his words bounced around her mind she understood, she agreed with him it was something that just made sense, something she could not argue about for it was true, there was never a time she or her family ever denied themselves a dance.

"When we dance amongst ourselves we dance to represent what we are and who we are, we must dance with grace and ease, with confidence and aristocracy. We must dance for the fantasy and for the reality, the horrors and the dreams. We must be vampires. … And so today we shall focus on what kind of vampire you are."

"The kind that does not drink tap" she commented saucily. Demetri inclined his head. "Not what I was talking about … I was speaking not about preferences, but about you as a whole" Her as a whole, well, she was at a complete loss of words as she couldn't come up with anything for her as a whole.

"I'd like to start with the basics. You are Renesmee, you are a vampire and you are a human and you are a girl, let us move to that". She could not dance to such a thing though, for while she was a human, a vampire and a girl she did know who Renesmee was. "But who is Renesmee?" She asked quietly.

Demetri seemed to understand as he spoke. "I know not who she is completely and wholly but I can say what I see of her from my eyes. She is youth, she is smart, she is strong in her ideals, she is lost and she is beautiful"

Of course back to the beauty, she scoffed. "Beauty is merely skin deep and neither of us knows what exactly I am beneath my flesh to say I am beautiful". He looked down there was something in his eyes that she couldn't name and she didn't like the look on him that was directed at her.

It made her feel uneasy and angry all at once. "What you say is true, but I can say I know enough to call you beautiful. You are in a league of your own and you may not know it but everyone here does, sooner or later you will have to except what I say is true" He said softly.

She smiled grimly at him knowing what made her beautiful was the monster inside of her that she refused to let out. "You truly know how to flatter a girl, perhaps if my parents made me less cynical I would actually believe what you said, but I cannot accept it as I am not a fool and I know I am not this beautiful girl that people dream about."

There was a clap in the room and she jumped in the vampires arms as she saw Aro walking over to them with a grin on his face. "Lovely, just lovely, you dance more lovely than a crane or a swan do, the two of you will be the center of attention during the Ball." He said as he stopped before them.

She was let go of as Demetri stopped the music and turned his attention to Aro. "I take it, you'll be stealing her from me?" It did not go unnoticed how the younger vampire seemed so at ease with talking to Aro as if he was an equal.

She would question him later. "Yes, yes, there is much I would like to catch Renesmee up on, I will give her back sometime later" Aro said as he waved his hand signifying that Demetri was good to go. Turning his attention back to her, the vampire bowed before her as he spoke. "Miss. Renesmee it was a pleasure".

Ah there was the charming and elegant Demetri people spoke of. "Truly a pleasure Demetri" she replied as he stood smirking and turned away before disappearing before her. "So I take it today was a good day?" Aro asked as he looped his arm with her own.

It hadn't started out as one, but Demetri had made it better. "It's beginning to become one." She replied softly. "That's good I had heard that the day before yesterday was not a great one, I had hoped that some rest and time away from some of the others would help."

Considerate, she was sure that all said he was not capable of being so. "That was kind of you I thank you for it, it did help with some of the problems". She wasn't sure what he wanted but she was going to tread carefully starting now.

"Glad I could help … Now I wanted to see if perhaps you could tell me some things about this social networking I've been hearing so much about from the other covens".

Oh she wanted to laugh right then but instead she merely smiled at him, trying her best not to let him know how humorous that question was coming from him. She nodded her head as she replied. "Yes I believe I could tell you what I know of it."

She would forever remember this and never tell a soul, it would be her little secret about, it was just too good of a story to tell to others.

* * *

**_So a bit of a short chapter compared to others, but I didn't feel like packing this with so much this time and I was just at a bit of a loss for this chap, but any how here it is. Hope you all liked it._**

**_I would like to say that I decided against putting any Renesmee and Alec in this chapter as I just felt like I wanted to focus on other areas of Renesmee's journey of find herself, and while Alec is a big major role in the story he's not the major role of helping her figure things out about herself as there are many others that are probably better suited. _**

**_Another thing, I felt as though when I was going through the previous chapter that my Demetri was way off character so here we get a come-back of the traditional Demetri of the Volturi in a bit of a side glance sort of aspect instead of the full-blown character. I see it as when we are not always the same with everyone we hang around, different people bring out different pieces of us and I wanted to showcase that in this chapter between Renesmee and Demetri._**

**_And yes this is still a Renesmee-Alec story and no there will be no triangle between Demetri, Renesmee and Alec. … Cannot stand triangles so please, please don't ask for it with these three, to many clashing personalities and too much drama and trouble and possibly war to be done if I would do it._**

**_So I would like to thank all those that favorite, my story and added this to their alert list as well as those few reviewed. (A little bummed that I didn't get as many reviews as the last)_**

**_Still love you all for reviewing though. _**

**_Alycesaundra Mathews_**

**_NotoriousNat _**

**_FatFaceChey _**

**_Alecvolturiswife – Sorry about the confusion I fixed that about that chapter so if you look back at it, there should be less craziness to it. _**

**_IsobelFrances – One reason why her books were published and my stories that are my own have not been is because you have to buy an agent unlike in being a model or actress where they find you and get you the jobs before they ask for payment at least from what I've been told._**

**_*side note the name Tanya uses for Renesmee is pronounced Ren-'E' also _Ognissanti is Italian for All Saints Day. **

**_Thanks for reading hope to see you all next chapter. – Lady Grimshaw._**


	8. Secrets Do Not Stay Secrets

**CHAPTER**

**VIII**

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**Secrets Do Not Stay Secrets**

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_Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead._

_- Benjamin Franklin_

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Life was unimportant when one slept, there was nothing to worry about during that time. All your senses are shut down, you don't truly feel, you don't truly hear, you don't truly smell and you can't see either. You're at your most vulnerable, and yet most of the time you don't want to leave your dreams.

Then most of the times you do, there are those dreams, those nightmares that you have to escape.

Right now the nightmare was also a memory mixed with fantasy, she hated those the most, they felt nearly real.

Nearly because you know this is not what really happened and yet you know this could have been what happened had the circumstances not been in their favor.

So as she held tightly to the thick fur belonging to Jake doing everything in her power not to look back, she tried to remember that this was all just a dream. It would end as soon as she was able to open her eyes.

The smell of death behind them, the smell of venom and fear all around them. The sounds of cries and screams, of growls and snarls as they ran after them.

Her heart was pounding and all she could do was hold on tight and remember it was only a dream. There was a pitiful cry and before she knew it, she was skidding across the ground of the woods she knew like she knew the back of her hand.

A cold and bruising-no her ankle was breaking in the grip and she screamed as she turned and saw a black cloaked figure with the "V" of their necklace dangling before her.

Her fingers and nails were dug horribly into the ground trying pathetically to hold on to something, anything.

Before anything could really happen, before they truly had her, everything went black and her eyes finally settled into the darkness of her room.

It had been a dream like she had knew all along, so as she took a deep breath and readjusted herself to be comfortable she found that her new bedroom was rather dark.

Turning, her breath caught in her throat as she found herself face to face with pale cold skin and glowing blood red eyes with matching blood red lips.

He grinned as if the cat had finally caught the canary before he spoke. "Bad dreams?"

"Renesmee!" Eyes wide open she took in a sharp breath as she sprung from her bed and found ruby red eyes looking down at her.

Her heart was beating hard and fast like nothing she ever imagined and as she focused she found that the eyes were not empty like the ones from her dream.

The red eyes belonged to a woman with pale blonde hair and pale pink lips and skin that glittered in the morning light that broke through the roof.

Recognition sinking in and she continued to focus as her brain caught up with her reality. "Athenodora?"

The was a look of relief in those red eyes before she spoke. "Are you okay?" She asked carefully as she took a seat upon the bed.

"I just … it was just a dream" She replied softly as she laid back against the large and fluffed pillows.

The vampire looked down at her hands as she replied. "So I saw".

The room went quite as she realized the woman had seen into her mind. She'd touched her and with her own abilities it must have been awful.

"Are you truly that fearful of us?" She asked softly.

Think carefully of the answer Renesmee were you scared of them? With the time spent with Vladimir and Stephan, she had been fascinated to no end with their carnivorous ways.

She wasn't afraid of that though, she learned to deal with that so what more could there be to fear from them?

… It was an answer she truly needed to know, she was staying with them after all.

So if it wasn't their eating habits was it just the name she was terrified for? The Volturi always did cause panic in her mother's eyes.

In a lot of vampire's eyes actually, but no she wasn't terrified of who they were.

No she wasn't afraid of them at all when she really though about it, she wasn't her mother who was beyond paranoid and fearful of them. No it was just a dream.

Taking in another deep breath she reached over and grabbed the vampires cold hands, showing her what she saw, showing her what she felt, what she believed.

The blonde grimaced as she finally took back her hand. "I see. … It would seem that Corin has finally made his move"

She breathed out harshly as she spoke. "Corin". Athenodora nodded her head as she continued on. "Yes Corin, his ability is to make your nightmares real, the problem there is he has to find what you fear most first to be able to do it. I knew this would happen the moment I heard Aro tell Caius about what happened between Alec and Corin."

Alec? What happened between Alec and Corin? Again she missed something that was probably important.

"He's on the hunt now and he won't stop until he finds it and breaks you. … and he always gets what he wants. It's why Caius likes him so much."

And here she though it would have been Aro who would have found Corin's ability entertaining, but it made just as much sense that Caius liked him. Her mother had always said that Caius was the cruelest of the three ancients.

"He's been given specific orders to stay away from you, the fact that he slipped by the guards to get close enough to search your mind is troubling. … I will make sure that he will be punished for his insubordination".

Punished for insubordination really, he was messing with her mind; he should have gotten more than that. Although, considering Aro had a specific reason for keeping him around it seemed unlikely that he'd get rid of him permanently.

Still though, she had never done anything to the blonde to cause such actions, she couldn't understand why he was doing this to her.

Jane she could understand she's held a grudge against her family since before she had ever been born. "Why me?" She asked carefully.

Athenodora looked thoughtful for a moment before she did speak. "I believe he wants to turn you for his own selfish reasons, not because of who he is but because of what he is. Like us the ancients are incapable of caring for anyone outside of their own kind. You are both human and vampire and to turn you and to have you would most likely put him on a pedestal for his kind to worship him. A hybrid turned devotee … That is the ultimate prize, having something of the rarest quality." She explained.

What was a devotee? Athenodora seemed to understand her silent question as she explained further. "A devotee is a vampire of Corin's kind that is strongly bound to their Sire. They do as they say no matter what, and from what I remember the devotee's shared a sort of twisted love for their Sire's and it was reciprocated in a way or two. … You are the only known of your kind so far, the hybrids that have been found lately are all male's it's starting to look like you truly are a miracle, the rarest of your kind and that is something to want by all species."

She just had to know didn't she? She wondered. … "Is there anyway to keep him out?"

There was a smirk on Athenodora's face "Have no fear".

When she thought about fear she realized that she didn't truly have a fear, fear was only in the mind as Stephan had always said. There was never anything to truly fear and she had come to find that it was entirely true, she had never been afraid of anything short of loosing her family.

Even if that were to happen though her enemies should run and hide because she would be out for their blood … or venom.

So no she wasn't afraid of anything and Corin would be sorely disappointed when he found that out.

"Well then it's a good thing I have none" she replied easily. "None that you know of at least. … Rest assured though I will make sure that nothing like this happens again. Now tell me who is this vampire that I hear you've invited to the Ball?"

Vampires she would never get used to the immediate shift in emotions and attitude. She brushed it off though.

So she would go along with it, it was better that way anyway she didn't want to think about her dreams and fears, it was to much of a morose topic.

"His name is Adrian Kristiansen and I invited him on the suggestion of Aro, he wants to meet with him to see if he could help him with some technological issues."

Boy she had no idea how far behind the Volturi were on technology, yeah she heard from Stephan once or twice that they'd been keeping tabs on the humans weapons. She hadn't known that they'd been behind on the technology advances that humans had been through the years and it worried her. Even vampires should be paying attention to this sort of things, it seemed the walls of Volterra didn't only keep moronic and unstable vampires out but it kept the Volturi in.

"Really now and does this Adrian Kristiansen know he's only coming to meet with Aro or are you luring him here under false pretenses?" She asked with in a playful tone.

Sliding the warm blankets off her body she smiled softly as she responded. "Trust me Adrian already knows that he's only coming to meet with Aro for work, and any romantic feelings for Adrian lasted for about five minutes about oh give or take five years ago."

"So there were feelings for this vampire at a time then?"

"Yes." She began only to watch with a lifted brow as her hand was grabbed by cold hands and she was signaled to continue. She took in a deep breath and tried to make sure that her abilities didn't surface then.

"I gave him up in order to appease my mother … besides I was only eleven years old, it would have never worked."

She looked astonished then as she spoke. "You're telling the truth", "Of course I am why wouldn't I?"

There was a shrug from her as she replied. "When it comes to the matter of the heart people will do or say anything hoping they will believe it, considering your love life I figured you would have wanted to do the same".

She knew what the blonde had said was only too true. "My friendship with Adrian was never allowed, especially because of his diet preference and after we moved from Mt. Washington to Kalispell I got into a bit of a rut while my family were out doing some work for some friends of my Grandfather's and he was the only person I could trust to call and he helped me. … My parents don't know that I've kept in contact with him since we left New Hampshire."

"You know the real reason why they didn't let you stay friends with him don't you? … It is one of the many reasons you are so saddened".

Yes, yes she knew exactly why her parents didn't want her to be friends with the Adrian, they hadn't even bothered to cover up that argument they had with him. He was in the way of her and Jacob's relationship, he was no good for her, he would ruin her.

_'I'll ruin her, she's already been ruined by you!'_

She still remembers how he had yelled at her mother and father, how his voice and anger seemed to cause the walls to vibrate. She could still see the wrath that had been brewing in his red eyes, it was so powerful she swore she could feel it, her uncle Jasper had just told her that when you can see it you sometimes think you can feel it, and she knew he if anyone knew a whole lot about empathy.

She wouldn't dwell on it anymore, no matter how much she cared for Adrian he was … actually he was her best and only friend. She would never want to ruin it and she knew looking at him in any other light other than friend would do it.

"You are a strong heart just as Aro said, it is an admirable trait. … Now why don't you go and get dressed, there is a long day ahead of us"

She was touched by the words and she just went along with the vampire as she finally got out of the bed stretching as she went.

"Wait a minute … what are you doing here?", there was a grimace. "One of the guards had reported your discomfort to Aro while we were in a discussion and Aro was going to send someone else but I insisted that I come and see what the problem was".

Well that was kind of her, it was good as well, she didn't need any of the guard to see her in such a vulnerable state.

"Thank you, that was very kind of you … and I appreciate it a lot" she said truly grateful of the sentiment.

"Well then I think I'll let you get on with your day, come visit Sulpicia and I later in the green house" Athenodora said as she stood as well.

Before she could reply she was grabbed by cold hands and placed in a careful and awkward embrace. "O … kay" She said hesitantly.

"Still to early?" Athenodora said, nodding her head she answered truthfully. "Yeah too soon still" they pulled away.

Athenodora left the room and she continued to stretch out her limbs. Grabbing her rob she made her way to the bathroom and turned into her closet. There was another knock on the door and before she could answer she turned around and found Demetri standing before her.

She gasped, before glaring at him and he smirked haughtily. "Careful love, you know that glaring causes wrinkles". She smiled back at him she replied easily. "Darling my body regenerates twenty times faster than a full blooded human, and to dumb that down for you that means that I will never have to worry about wrinkles". She turned away from him then as she continued to look through her clothes.

"Now what are you doing in here? I need to take a shower and I don't want you in here when I'm in there". That and she needed to pee, and peeing while in the presence of vampires while not awkward was uncomfortable.

Uncomfortable only because she didn't know them, she'd gotten over the awkward phase with Vladimir, Stephan and the Denalis along time ago.

"I saw Athenodora leave the room and I was just wondering what you two had been up to" He started. She took a note on how easy he had said her name. Considering she was the wife of his … Leader? Boss? … House Father? Really what did they call each other?

Instead of dwelling on the question she responded simply. "She wanted to know what colors we were wearing for the ball".

Lie. She had to do it though she did not want him to know about her nightmares. She glances at him from under her lashes and took in the sight of the lifted brow and the focused look on his face.

He knew she had lied, now what was he going to do about it? "Considering that the good colors have been taken I was thinking an achromatic color".

Well he was really beginning to grow upon her, he was willing to go along with her little lie.

Still, he wanted to wear grey? While she wasn't against the color it just didn't seem so extravagant as he'd been making this ball seem.

He seemed to catch onto her thoughts. "Trust me, even if we wear such a monotone color we'll still be the best looking". He grabbed her then by the waist and twirled her before the mirror

Despite the bright ruby red eyes and the chalky parlor Demetri was absolutely gorgeous, she would never admit it aloud though.

"Really I think your the gorgeous one between us". She rolled her eyes as she walked out of his embrace.

"One of these days I will figure out how you do that". She said as she made her way around the closet and continued to figure out her attire for the day.

"So what is the lovely Renesmee doing this morning?" He asked as he nosed through her closet as well.

"I'm having brunch with Caprice and then I will be coming back here and spending time with Athenodora and Sulpicia … after that well I was planning on allowing my body to rest especially since you've been working me like an ant".

There was a chuckle from him. "You body needs work, your movements are sloppy and slow and your starting to remind me of your mother".

She sucked in her lips and kept them there for a few seconds, she wanted to beat him for that and he knew it.

"I think a little more practice and when the day comes you'll be better than anyone else in the room. … besides me of course"

That made her laugh and she replied. "Of course". Her bladder was tightening on her and she knew she couldn't ignore it anymore.

"Now get out of my room, I need to get ready" She turned over to him and tried to push him out of her room. "Geez you way a ton". There was laughter now and she knew she was amusing him. "Fine, fine. I'll go then, but after your time with the wives find me, if you have a chance to of course. I know how Aro loves to change things up"..

"Yes, _yes,_ now please get out I really need to get ready". "I'd love to watch". She grimaced. "No you really wouldn't now out". With a final push she was able to get him out of the bathroom. Closing it on his smirking face.

Now she could finally pee, that damned vampire he was just as annoying as he was beautiful.

* * *

"Ah Alec just the twin I was looking for". Alec heard as he turned into a corridor.

Stopping in his tracks he watched as Demetri walked over to him with a concerned look on his face. He had just been contemplating whether he could convince Aro into allowing him an early suspension.

With that look on the blondes face though he knew there was no way he would be able to make it to London.

… Such a pity really.

"Demetri". He acknowledged as he watched the older vampire make his way over to him.

"I understand that you were given permission to choose a guard for Renesmee have you any luck designating anyone for the position?"

Well that was straight to the point, no teasing from the older male at all and he really did seem to want an answer from him.

Looks like he really was beginning to understand his role in their coven. It was about time, after so many centuries of knowing the vampire one would think he would have matured some over the years. Unfortunately it had seemed like he had de-evolved for a moment there and now he was back to his regular old wholesome self.

This was wonderful. … Possibly at least.

"Of the few candidates I have I don't believe there capable of handling Corin on their own. … I was deliberating asking Felix or even charging myself with the assignment but I think perhaps that a months worth of training and field assignments, maybe one of the candidates will be promising enough by then".

He looked grimly at him and he knew he should have just turned the other way when he had called him.

"I don't believe we have a month to give". He felt a headache coming on.

The one thing that vampirism didn't seem to take care of, he had come to the conclusion that he would just have to start avoiding all situations that resulted in headaches. "He was in the girls room. I could smell him all over her". Demetri continued on.

That was great, absolutely great just when he had been hoping that with the quietness of the last few days Corin had just given up on the hybrid. He had placed more guards in her wing and had believed it would be enough until he could choose a personal guard for her.

It was surprising though, Corin wasn't exactly the fastest vampire in the guard. Demetri was though and so were most other trackers but Demetri was the fastest out of all of them. So getting in and getting out without being seen wasn't possible. Neither was using his ability on the others as he was sure that he would have heard about a group of their own suffering from the after effects caused by Corin's ability.

There was also no possibility that anyone would go against an order from him. That meant only one thing. The only problem was he wasn't positive about his theory as he'd never been in the room before.

"Do we still carry the layouts in the archives?" He asked the older vampire. Demetri shook his head as he replied.

"No Caius got rid of them on the notion that in the wrong hands they could be used for an assassination".

Of course he did, sometimes when it came to the elders despite there differences they all were just as paranoid as the other was.

"Do you believe I could search her bedroom?" Demetri looked a bit skeptical as he thought on the question.

Then there was a twinkle in his eyes and a mischievous smirk on his face, he was up to something now.

Great he was about to be pulled into one of his schemes and it was on the Cullen girl, that was just great.

"Why I do believe she won't mind, I mean we are doing it to make sure she is safe so why not". That did not sound good at all.

Oh he knew there was going to be a horrible headache coming on soon. He knew if he went along with the blondes plans that there was going to be trouble and a horrible headache.

He should turn away, but his curiosity got his feet to follow the blonde vampire down the corridor.

* * *

Showers were the greatest thing to ever be invented. She loved showers, especially hot shower, they were the best, they took everything bad away.

Sore muscles, kinks, dirt, grime, sweat. … the list could go on but she'd stick with the basics for now.

This was her favorite part of her morning so far though, the steam, the high heat, the utter relaxation, especially when one was done with their usual cleansing rituals. Oh she loved to just stand in the shower when she had an opportunity.

There was a creak though and snapping her head towards the door, there was nothing though.

She could swear she had heard something, then again with that nightmare of hers it could have just gotten her imagination running. It was a plausible explanation.

Returning to her precious steam she took in a deep breath of the moist air. It was so, so lovely.

She needed to get out before she became a prune though. Shutting off the water she grabbed a towel and began drying off her body as she walked off the tiled floor of the shower.

Grabbing her robe she wrapped it around her body and tied the sash, walking out of the shower stall she made her way towards the door only to stop in her tracks and gasp at the sight of the blonde Volturi member she'd been spending so much time with lately.

"Hello Renesmee" he said with a cocky smile. That smile she was so ready to slap off his face.

She held back her scream and she glared at him. "What the hell" she responded as she breathed in, he was ruining her morning and that seriously wasn't cool.

"My, my brother now I see why you've been spending so much time with her". Another voice said from behind the blonde.

And he brought friends, this was just turning into a great morning. Wait she recognized that voice.

That's when he walked into the bathroom, his large bright red eyes and those full lips and that beautiful face.

Alec. He stopped right next to Demetri and stared at her from beneath those lovely lashes of his. So long and thick and accentuated by his bright ruby eyes and his soft and snowy complexion.

She noticed then that he was staring at her body and not at her face. Becoming aware of herself she remembered her robe was just a tad bit sheer.

Wrapping her arms around her body she growled at the blonde. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

He waved her off as he walked over to her sink and looked through her cabinet. Now he was going through her things, this was just great.

"Don't fret, we'll be in and out before you know it" Alec replied for her. She smiled mockingly at him. "Oh well that's nice and all but what the hell are you doing in here anyways?"

Never mind that what the hell was she still doing there, she should run into her closet and put on some clothes. Actually she just might do that.

"You know what just hold that thought I need to get dressed". She said before she rushed over to her closet and shut the door. Great her day was just getting peachier by the minute. First Corin now Demetri and Alec.

… Well Alec was no Demetri and she hoped he wasn't as perverse as the blonde. Actually she was sure he wasn't but she could always be wrong.

Quickly she picked up the clothes she had picked out and started to put on her underwear and bra, and racing to put on her pants. There was a creek.

"I hope your decent love". She crunched up her nose as she turned away from the door and grabbed her shirt. "I'm going to kill you". She said softly as she heard the door open all the way. Sliding on her shirt she made sure that it was on properly before she turned their way.

"That's nice to hear and everything but I'm working darling just do as I say". Demetri ordered as he stepped further into the closet, Alec stood at the threshold and she walked over to him hoping maybe he could give her some answers.

He stared down at her with his blazing eyes and tilted his head with a smirk. "Conversation un-paused?" He asked referring to when she had stopped him from answering her earlier question.

She replied with a nod of her head and a small smile on her face. "Conversation un-paused".

He nodded his head as he started with a question. "At all during the night did you hear anything? Any strange noises? Creaking? Something sliding perhaps?"

She thought back realizing by the tone of voice that he was being serious about the question. "Creaking yes, this entire place makes creaks" She said mostly to herself as she tried to concentrate and remember.

Well there was that minute during her hypnagogia state where she could of sworn that she had heard something heavy being pushed.

"Actually now that I think about it I did hear something but I just brushed it off thinking it was all in my head".

A thoughtful look was given to her before he started speaking again. "In most cases you would have been. Last night you weren't though. … I believe that Corin is using the old servant tunnels to commute between your quarters and his own".

"That's why we're here". Demetri added from the other side of the closet. She noticed then that he was pushing the clothes around and feeling and knocking on the walls.

Well that would explain how he had gotten in the room without being seen or detected by her guards. Honestly who placed so many around her, surely Corin wasn't that dangerous.

Speaking of Corin how did they even know he had been there? She hadn't even known until Athenodora explained how his ability worked.

Wait, never mind, Demetri was a tracker and trackers had an amazing sense of smell. At least that was what grandfather Carlisle always said.

Still though servant tunnels, people still had those, well when she really thought about it the Volturi were really old people so it made some sense.

So if Corin was using them to mess with her it would be wise to let them know that she hadn't heard the sound coming from her closet.

Sighing she walked over to where Demetri had pushed her dresser and slid on the gloves. "Demetri move this back, you're not going to find anything in my closet" She said simply as she made her way out of the closet and out of the bathroom.

Thank goodness they hadn't walked in while she was taking care of her human needs, that would have been embarrassing to the point of making her want to go back home.

"And why not?" Alec asked as he followed her into her bedroom. She turned to him as she replied smoothly. "Because I heard the sound here in the bedroom, very, very close to my bed". She replied as she smoothed the blanket down.

As soon as they were finished in here she would make it, it didn't feel right having people in her room while her bed wasn't made. It made the room feel dirty in a weird sense.

"His scent is stronger in here, that would make more sense". Demetri replied as he came into the room again.

"You think?" Was Alec's smart remark. Well at least someone gave him the proper name if that was in fact his real name.

Huh she wondered if any of the people besides her family, the Denali's and the three elders used their real names.

"He was in your bed love". That stopped her in her thoughts and she knew her eyes were as wide as saucers as she looked over to the piece of the blanket that Demetri held in his hands.

"That's not possible I think I would have woken up if he had tried to get into my bed". Now all she could remember were his eyes in the darkness, the way they had glowed with sadistic glee and a manic lust.

"_Bad dreams?" _"No, no, no it was a dream". She said quietly to herself. It had to be a dream because Athenodora woke her from it.

"Renesmee I think you should take a sit, you're heart is beating way to fast and I fear your might have one of those heart attacks". Demetri said as he popped next to her and pushed her over to the couches on the other side of the room.

He pushed her down gently and in the background she could hear the sound of Alec moving about the room searching for the passage way.

"It was a dream right? I would have woken up, I should have felt the bed dip or something like in a novel right? I mean it's only logical the bed always dips when extra weight is being placed onto it." She was speaking out loud but really she was just trying to understand the dynamics of how this could have happened.

"Demetri". Came Alec's voice. She really wished he would have some sort of emotion in his voice right then. Something to tell her whether calling Demetri was for a good or bad reason. … Right now she really didn't like old vampires, they had too much time on their hands to learn how to cover up their emotions.

Demetri turned away from her walking towards the other vampire in the room. She stood up from her position on the sofa and followed. She really shouldn't have though.

Her headboard was large and thick and she figured that maybe that was the reason that the canopy had been put up to hide the extremely and ridiculous headboard.

"Well I think we've found our secret door". Alec stated amused as he stared at the door before them. There on the side of her absurdly thick headboard was a small latch and at least an eight foot tall door that was as wide as two of Felix's body.

Now that was a big man, she had always thought that her uncle Emmett was big, but now she knew that it was Felix who was big. It should be illegal to be that big, really it just shouldn't happen. Secretly she was only jealous though, unlike her mother who was of a decent height and her father who was … well he was tall, she on the other hand got none of it and she couldn't understand why she didn't have it.

Oh she was getting off topic here, back to reality there was a door in her headboard, her headboard! Who the hell came up with that bright idea.

"So ladies first" Demetri said softly as he pushed her towards the door. She turned to him with a shocked look on her face.

"You're like a _billion_ years old and your scared of a servants tunnel!" He shrugged his shoulders as he replied. "Of course I'm not I would just rather see you open the door." There was a smirk trying to make it's way to his face.

There was a sigh and Alec was the one to grab the latch as he spoke. "Really the two of you it's just a door".

He didn't wait for either to say anything as he pulled the latch and swung the door open. It was black and empty and the dampness and the smell of the cobwebs and dust started to seep into the room. That wasn't what had her full attention though there on the back of the door was a piece of parchment paper being held up by a small knife. Alec grabbed the knife and pulled it off the door easily.

"Well it seems like we'll be needing to place a guard on you quicker than I had anticipated" he said softly as he looked over the paper.

"What?" Demetri asked as he grabbed the paper from the smaller vampire. "That's just great" Now she was worried. "What is it?" She asked carefully.

He handed her the paper and she read the single line of words. _'I'd rather thaw your heart with pain than with kindness' _

That didn't sound good. "He's calling a challenge" came Alec's voice. She were sure her eyes were wide as she spoke. "A challenge" Alec nodded his head and Demetri was the one to explain for her.

"Corin's ability" She stopped him though. "Yes, I know all about how his ability works, Athenodora explained it to me already".

Alec inclined his head though as he spoke. "He was in here last night, sometime while you were sleeping. … What did you dream about?"

Crossing her arms she answered quickly. "Nothing". "Well nothing must have made him angry because he has only ever called challenges on two vampires and both didn't have a fear he could find in one night".

Wait did that mean … "So he's mad because I don't have a fear", "No he's frustrated because your fear isn't obvious, he'll keep searching until he finds it".

She lifted a brow. "My fear isn't obvious?" She asked carefully. There was a small gleam in Alec's eyes as he looked away from her and started walking towards the door. "I find that highly interesting" She glared at him. "It's not fascinating".

There was a chuckle as he slipped into the dark space. Turning her attention back to Demetri she found that he was walking towards her bedroom door. "Where are you going?" He stopped only to look at her as he spoke.

"I need to have see Aro about something, I'll be back later. … Don't worry though, with Alec in the servant tunnels and the guards outside there's no possible way for Corin to get to you". She breathed out deeply trying to control her annoyance as she watched him leave her room.

Great now she had a crazy original vampire out to get her all because she didn't move like he had wanted her too. Turning back to the door she stared into the darkness.

There was nothing else better to do. Sighing she took a step in and closed the door behind her, she took another step she found that she was walking down some sort of staircase. As the darkness started to become more clear she found that the entire staircase was made up of stone.

When she finally hit the bottom of the steps she found an iron gate, the knob had been broken off and it easily was pushed open, with no more than a screech that wanted to kill her hearing. She must have been more than tired last night if she hadn't heard that.

The tunnel that she had just entered was just as dark, if nor more so. The air was stale and dry and she was sure that had she not been half vampire she would have caught some sort of disease just by breathing in the air.

There were no windows and the were no more doors and as she walked down she could swear she heard mice or rats or some sort of rodent that she didn't like. Before she could really be proven right her body was forced against the wall and she found herself staring into wide ruby colored eyes. His breath was pleasant and one would not have been able to tell that he drank human blood for sustenance. His weight against her chest was anything but. Taking in a harsh breath she groaned. "Ow, you're going to crush my lungs in if you push down any harder".

There was sharp breath and his bright eyes darkened and she felt some of his weight come off her. He held her up against the wall carefully now, his eyes closed as he leaned in and she held her breath and hoped he hadn't heard her heart skip a beat.

Through her shirt she could feel his nose caress her collarbone and she stayed still hoping he wouldn't move to her real skin. "You smell absolutely delectable". While on one hand she was flattered by that comment and might have even taken it as a compliment the other hand was just worried about him trying to take a bit out of her to get to her blood.

" … Thanks? ..." A chuckle came from him as he spoke, pulling away from her as he did. "Don't worry I won't hurt you".

"No of course not" she was sure that one could probably see the sarcasm dripping from her lips.

He looked down at her with a smirk on his face as he spoke softly. "What are you doing down here?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she answered. "I was bored. … I'll let you know when I have a better answer though". She tried to hold her smile, that was a bit sassy if she had any say in it and talking sass to a Volturi guards, was rather amusing.

She frowned though as she looked around the dark corridor. "Where is here anyway?" She asked.

He turned back to the corridor and started walking she followed as she listened to him. "We are right between the lower levels and the higher levels … The stomach of the castle".

The stomach of the castle, well that was a lovely thought, and she wondered now where her body was going to be digested. "When Aro first came here he had the entrances boarded up, it seems though that Corin uncovered some of them".

"See". He said as he pointed to a wall of brick that stood to the side of the corridor they were in.

"I do. … So do you think there's any way to maybe, possibly have Corin back down and I don't know leave me alone?" She asked as they continued down the long corridor.

He turned to her then as he stopped walking looking as if he was truly thinking over the question. He inclined his head before he spoke hesitating at first. "... Is there a reason why you don't want to just let it go yourself and let him have what he wants?"

Not the answer she wanted, perhaps she should have just not even bothered. "I don't know about you but I rather like not having someone poke around my head, especially for villainous reasons".

"I understand that but wouldn't you rather just want it over with instead of having to go through the torture of waiting for him to stop. … Eventually he will find something in there, there's no one in the entire world that is fearless"

"I understand that, but I don't believe that I should have to give in just because it's an easier solution".

What a hypocrite she was, hadn't she just runaway just some days ago because she couldn't handle the pressure of being what her family wanted. She wasn't going to let him hear that, oh no, she didn't want to know what he thought of hypocrites, she quite liked having him not know how screwed up she truly was.

"'Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has now power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.'"

"Jim Morrison." Renesmee recognized. The Doors was one of her uncle Emmets favorite bands, so Jim Morrison was something she knew about. Sighing she tried once more. "I'm not worried about him figuring out what I'm afraid of because even I don't know what that is yet". She was cut off as he looked down at her with a question. "You don't know what your afraid of?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I know what I should be afraid of but I learned a long time ago not to fear them. … I guess that I never thought of ever fearing anything else."

"Not even Corin?" He asked. She answered honestly since she found out about his ability. "To be honest no, he can do all he wants to my head, but it doesn't scare me, it should, but it would just seem as if … I'm pretending just to appease to him or anyone for that matter. … Really the whole situation is just annoying and frustrating".

A brow lifted, she realized then that he had truly nice eyebrows. Mentally she shook her head, Jane's twin was much to beautiful. It should be a crime, he should look more like Jane just so she wouldn't look at him like she was.

"Annoying and frustrating?" She didn't really want to get into this but it seemed she had no chance at all. She hated that about Vampires, they just seemed to be able to let down your guard and make you want to tell them all that is wrong, even if all they want to do is drain you dry.

"Yes, this whole thing is annoying because for as long as I can remember I've had my father in my head and being here … It's nice not having someone know what is going through your mind at all times. … Well on the exception of Aro but he can only figure out what I'm thinking when he touches and even then with my ability I can always just show him what I want to", She watched as he took to leaning on the opposite of the wall. "Sorry I'm rambling". Another smirk. "No please, keep going it's rather refreshing to hear someone ramble knowing that I'm listening especially".

She really didn't want to look deeper into the meaning of what he had just said. "Point is I've already had one person in my head I don't need another".

"Is that why your so frustrated, your reprieve has been ruined?" He asked softly. She shook her head as she answered. "Heavens no, what's frustrating is that I've done nothing to him and there is only one person who has the write to get on my nerves despite the fact that I've done nothing to her".

"I will take a shot and say this her is Jane". He stated, it wasn't a question it was a statement, he didn't seem mad or anything about it either.

"I'm sorry", he waved her off as he spoke. "Don't be, Jane is … well she is Jane and trust me, she'll grow on you … if she doesn't kill you first of course".

"Why do I feel you're not joking with me on that" It was a rhetorical question of course. "Because I wasn't, my sister is notorious for killing off people she doesn't like and if Aro likes them then she's resorted to running them off forever." She faked a smile not caring if he knew it was fake. "Of course she does".

"Can I ask you a question?" This was not something she was expecting. He continued on not bothering to let her answer. "Why do you think Corin has it out for you, besides the fact that he couldn't figure you out in one night. He's been on your trail since the moment he found out you were here." She thought over the answer and what Athenodora had said and was going to tell him the exact thing before he cut her off.

"Please don't tell me it's because your the only female hybrid known to us and that makes you rare. I will admit that its true, but it if he wanted another female hybrid as a trophy then he would have went out and convinced someone else to go fornicate with humans until he got a female. So allow me to rephrase my question. What is so special about you?"

She shrugged her shoulders again since he stood from his leaning position and stalked the short distance towards her. She was trapped again, he lifted a hand and she took in a deep breath.

Almost like a feather his finger touched her collarbone and moved towards her shoulder. "See I think everyone will admit, you smell heavenly, I think Aro said it was because your mother's blood was that of a singers, this mixed with your father … You smell good enough to eat and yet at the same time I don't want to. That is not why Corin wants you though, I had thought it was because of your name, a Cullen's head on a plaque would make a rather fetching trophy, but its to much trouble, to much of a hassle, your parents would declare war over that and no one wants a war when we've already got one coming. … And your ability, I find it interesting, I will admit to that but its nothing one would covet".

She squeezed her brows together as she thought over what he had said. Everything was true more or less, everything but her abilities, sure one of her abilities was more her own benefit than anything else, she could penetrate shields though didn't he of all people know that?

"What?" He asked. She slipped off one of her gloves and reached up slowly, letting him see her hand so as not to make him mad, one does not sneak up on vampires. Especially one of the highest ranking Volturi guards.

"May I?" She asked softly, she didn't just want to touch him, unlike him, Demetri and every single other full blooded vampire out there, she respected space.

He nodded and she gently places her hand onto his cheek, letting him see and hear what she had a few days after they had left forks.

_'Edward have you noticed?' Eleazar asked as they watched Renesmee play another piece of the piano, unknown to them that she was listening in on their conversation. She was rather attached to her father. _

_'No what?' He asked and she could feel a smile on his face as he watched her. 'She's able to show her mother her thoughts, her ability it is mental, just like yours, just like Aro's, don't you get it?'_

_Her mother jumped into the conversation 'Get what?' Her father's voice was solemn as he spoke. 'Renesmee has another ability. … she's can penetrate shields'. 'How is that possible?' Her mother asked awed. _

She pulled back, with a groan it was a lot harder to get out of him. Eleazar had always told her to be careful with that ability, someone that was far much stronger minded might keep her there in her own memories.

"Shield penetration". There wasn't a single emotion in his face and she slipped her glove back on. "It makes sense, everyone has tried to get into my mothers head, but I've been the only successful one".

He grabbed her hand and rubbed his thumb against the material of her glove. "Does Aro know of this?"

"I suppose so, he's seen every single memory I've ever had the first day I came here". He looked to be calculating something in his eyes and she held her breath wondering if he was either going to lock her away until they needed to use her, or dispose of her as she could be seen as a threat.

"... Corin must have figured it out, when Aro asked to speak with you that day, Reneta was there, meaning you must have revealed it back then and no one noticed it. … Do you understand what that means?"

She shook her head as she replied. "My head is worth a lot more alive now?" She really hoped he said that but even she knew better.

"Your worth a lot more to him if he turned you". That didn't sound so good and by the seriousness that was gleaming in his eyes she knew that things were about to make a turn for the worst now.

* * *

**Okay so this was merely just a filter chapter, the good stuff will come in the next and no there will not be any heavy Renesmee-Alec scenes. Not for a little while at least, like I said I don't wish to rush this couple as that wouldn't fit in with my story. **

**I didn't plan on putting any scenes between the Alec and Renesmee in here but then I figured that you all deserved a little bit of something considering you won't see them together for a while. **

**Not many reviews I'm starting to see that with my long pauses I'm losing you all, but to those who have stuck with me thank you so much. And to all those who have placed me in their alerts and their favorites. **

Bitbyacullen - Thank you so much for the review it makes me feel so good to hear that you like my writing and my imagery.

Alecvolturiswife – Thank you for the review

Rue Dawn - I don't think I've seen you before but always good to see a new face (name) I'm thankful for your review and your comment it feels great to know that I can write in a way I see things and have people adore it and feel more closer to the story as well.

Guest – Thank you for the review I hope this was a good enough chapter for you.


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